Supply Chain

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced its approval for an implantable device that decreases the number of seizures for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.

The market for pre-owned medical devices is expected to grow by a compound annual growth rate of 10.6 percent from 2013 until 2019, bringing the market value to $4.9 billion, according to a news release.

Kimberly Clark's new Microcuff Subglottic Suctioning Endotracheal Tube is the first to be cleared by the Food and Drug Administration for saline use to more effectively clear clogs.

The Food and Drug Administration has issued a document outlining a voluntary process that can be used to expedite device development and evaluation of medical device development tools in the Center for Devices and Radiological Health.

Global Healthcare Exchange has introduced three new consulting services to help hospitals improve efficiency and accuracy for the billing of implantable device supply chains.

The rate of spending on global prescription drugs is approaching its lowest point in decades, according to a report by the Intercontinental Marketing Services Institute for Healthcare Informatics.

The Food and Drug Administration has issued a Class I recall of about 15,000 guidewires on various Medtronic heart devices, saying the defective coating on the wires could cause serious injury or death.

Premier, Inc. has been granted a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for its Supply Mix Index, a methodology that keeps track of hospital supply expenses.

Two VHA SupplyNetworks have consolidated to form the Mid-Atlantic Purchasing Coalition representing 26 New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia healthcare organizations.

The Healthcare Group Purchasing Industry Initiative — which includes 11 group purchasing organizations — has reported that its members adhered to its model of fair, open and competitive business practices.