Medical Device Supply Chain Needs Automation

Supply Chain Brain A recent article from Supply Chain Brain highlights comments from Todd Martensen, chief commercial officer with Ascential Medical & Life Sciences, about the need to embrace automation in the medical device manufacturing supply chain. Citing challenges from his decades-long career in the industry such as changing labor costs, the costs associated with re-shoring device manufacturing, and sheer distance …

Hurricanes Disrupt Healthcare Supply Chain, Prompting Federal Intervention

Healthcare Finance Damage from two major hurricanes, Helene and Milton, led to temporary manufacturing closures, transport issues, and other disruptions in the healthcare supply chain throughout the southeast United States. Florida and North Carolina, both impacted by flooding and structural damage, were among the most affected areas. After prompting by the American Healthcare Association, the federal government stepped in to …

RFID Technology’s Impact in America’s Supply Chain

RFID Journal The growing role of RFID technology in supply chain management continues to generate efficiency, cost savings, and improved performance at numerous points across the supply chain. Radio frequency identification (RFID), through the combined use of tags, readers, and associated software, allows for accurate tracking, inventory management, and beyond – all while reducing the need for manual intervention. A …

Sustainability in Healthcare

CIO Look Environmental responsibility and sustainability are growing concerns across in healthcare, and leaders across the industry are exploring ways to balance patient care and efforts to manage waste, develop energy efficiency, and reduce environmental impacts across the board. A recent article from CIO Look examines this issue in greater detail, including the role of healthcare supply chains in these …

Streamlining Healthcare Logistics with Blockchain Technology

iTMunch Blockchain technology, originally developed for cryptocurrency transactions, continues to have more applications across numerous industries, including the healthcare logistics space. As a decentralized digital ledger that tracks transactions to ensure accuracy and transparency, the application of blockchain to healthcare logistics allows for more sophisticated tracking, enhanced traceability, better inventory management, and ultimately, greater patient care. A recent article from …

Leveraging AI for Disaster Response and Supply Shortages

Innovation News Network Using data from social media networks and AI tools, a doctoral student from the University of Alabama has investigated ways to leverage these technologies to help prevent supply chain shortages in times of disaster. A recent article from Innovation News Network describes the process and potential applications, showing a framework that would allow people in disaster areas …

FDA Warns Providers About Hurricane Season Supply Chain Disruptions

Healthcare Finance News In anticipation of the coming hurricane season, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is recommending that manufacturers and supply chain specialists make preparations to avoid disruptions, damaged inventory, and other related issues. A recent article from Healthcare Finance News outlines a range of recommendations from the FDA related to supply chain operations during hurricane season, from stockpiling …

New AI Tool Predicts Drug Shortages

Pharmacy Practice News Drug shortages continue to be a major issue for hospitals and healthcare system pharmacies, and mitigating these shortages is one of the most pressing challenges facing managers and decision makers. According to a recent article from Pharmacy Practice News, a variety of resources have been helpful in predicting drug availability – namely FDA’s drug shortage database, AHSP …

Using Technology to Manage Medical Shipments

AltexSoft A recent article from AltexSoft illuminates many of the challenges facing medical supply chains, particularly those around shipping medicine, and shows how advances in technology improve processes across the industry. Accurate, timely delivery is one essential piece of achieving patient outcomes, but proper storage, tracking, packaging, and handling are also important components of the larger logistics picture. Through modern …

Reducing Healthcare Supply Chain Spending Waste

SupplyChainBrain Supply chains account for a significant portion of healthcare costs – an estimated 25% of pharmaceutical costs and 40% of medical device budgets – yet a quarter of these costs are considered waste in the form of unanticipated expenses, poor management, and “rogue spend” that results in inefficiencies and overspending in the millions of dollars. A recent article from …