Vizient projected medical supply expenses would rise 2.41% in 2026, citing IT services, capital equipment and surgical supplies as the main drivers. More than halfway through the year, supply chain leaders say that number is largely holding for tangible goods — but one category is outpacing forecasts: technology-enabled products.
Luke Martin, administrative director of supply chain management at San Angelo, Texas-based Shannon Health, said Vizient’s projection has proven accurate overall for fiscal 2026, but pointed to sharper increases in several categories: IT hardware and software, surgical and radiology equipment and items or equipment that are chip-enabled or contain integrated circuits.
Vini Manchanda, vice president of supply chain services at Bloomington, Minn.-based HealthPartners, echoed that split. He said the projection has been accurate for tangible goods, but technology providers across both hardware and software are driving the largest cost increases.
Joe Wilson, vice president of supply chain services and chief procurement officer at Montefiore Health System in New York City, said the 2.41% figure remains a reasonable baseline, though continued volatility in tariffs, freight, raw materials and energy markets could push year-end inflation above that benchmark. He said the ultimate outcome will hinge on how much of those costs suppliers pass through and how exposed a given health system is to imported products, capital equipment and surgical supplies.
That trend aligns with Vizient’s updated outlook. Its Winter 2026 Spend Management Outlook, released in February, raised the forecast to 2.78% supply chain inflation for the period from July 2026 through June 2027, with IT, facilities and purchased services surpassing pharmacy as the fastest-growing cost category.
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