Supply Chain

President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act March 27, directing General Motors to make ventilators. 

Hospitals in the Detroit area are declining donations of handmade masks from the public, but at least one says it may need them in the future, WXYZ, a local ABC affiliate reported.

Medical devicemakers are asking the Trump administration for guidance on which states to prioritize sending ventilators to, as they are in severe shortage across the country, NPR reported.

Ten hospitals and health systems posted job listings for supply chain expertise in the last week:

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.