Supply Chain

Hospitals are airlifting supplies from other countries in attempts to make up for severe shortages in the U.S. amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Kaiser Health News reported. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has begun shipping medical supplies to states from the national stockpile, but some state officials say some of the supplies already are expired, ABC News reported.

The State Department is asking other countries if it can purchase excess medical supplies to help the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Hill reports. 

Group purchasing organizations will save the healthcare industry as much as $456.6 billion in the next 10 years, according to the Healthcare Supply Chain Association's third annual value report, released March 24. 

President Donald Trump signed an executive order to make price-gouging and hoarding of critical medical supplies a crime during the COVID-19 pandemic, The Hill reported. 

The Trump administration was set to use the Defense Production Act March 24 to acquire 60,000 COVID-19 diagnostic test kits, but has since deemed it unnecessary, according to The Wall Street Journal. 

The billionaire leaders of several major global technology companies announced over the weekend their intent to deliver millions of medical supplies to frontline healthcare professionals around the world, Business Insider reports.

Seattle-based UW Medicine received a donation of 50,000 N95 face masks from Elon Musk and Tesla to help combat shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, The Seattle Times reported. 

Here are three best practices to create an environment of collaboration among supply chain professionals, clinicians, and senior leadership:

Open Cities Community Health Center in St. Paul, Minn., is running so low on face masks that it's considering shutting down, according to Twin Cities Pioneer Press.