Supply Chain

Managing supplies is a crucial part of moving medical products from the manufacturer to patient’s bedside. Efficient supply chains can reduce healthcare costs and make medical devices more affordable for patients and health systems. This news page includes content on supply shortages, inventory management, and procurement practices.

More evidence that 2022 has been a hard year for healthcare providers

Many hospitals are experiencing losses for 2022, a year that some are calling the most difficult operating environment they’ve ever experienced.

FDA confirms nationwide shortage of Adderall

Manufacturers, it seems, are unable to keep up with high demand.

CEO turnover appears to be stabilizing in healthcare

So far in 2022, 832 CEOs have left their roles––and healthcare CEOs have been among the most active role departures.

Clover Health expands MA plan footprint

Tennessee-based Clover Health, which first launched in 2014, currently offers MA plans in 209 counties, caring for 85,000 members.

CT contrast shortage seen as amplification, continuation of deep-set dynamics

The shortage of iodinated contrast media that has rattled U.S. radiology since early May didn’t come from nowhere.

Wisconsin company to begin producing medical isotopes next year

The company’s CEO, Greg Piefer, detailed the plans at the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Conference on June 2, stating that production would be achieved via small-scale nuclear transmutation.

An example of spectral cardiac CT being used to show iodine density in the myocardium to show perfusion deficits. Shown by Philips healthcare at ACC 2022.

VIDEO: Mitigating the contrast media shortage impact on CT imaging

Brian Ghoshhajra, MD, MBA, division chief, cardiovascular imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital and associate professor of radiology, Harvard Medical School, explains the impact of the iodine contrast shortage on computed tomography (CT) and cardiac imaging.

Contrast shortage update: GE expects supply to 'progressively recover' soon

Production at the facility in Shanghai is expected to be near 100% starting on June 6.

Iodine contrast being loaded into a contrast injector in preparation for a cardiac CT scan at Duly Health and Care in Lisle, Illinois. The contrast shortage is causing some healthcare organizations to postpone exams and procedures and ration contrast supplies. Photo by Dave Fornell

ACR working with FDA and HHS to help address imaging contrast shortage

The American College of Radiology (ACR) announced this week its government relations staff has been engaging federal agencies in an effort to improve product availability and hasten resolution of the ongoing iodine contrast shortage.

Eric Williamson, MD, MSCCT, the president of the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) and professor of radiology at Mayo Clinic, explains how the iodine contrast shortage is causing issues for cardiac CT imaging. He discusses ways imagers can stretch they iodine contrast supplies and some technologies that might help conserve contrast. #contrastshortage

VIDEO: Contrast media shortage impacting cardiac CT imaging

Eric Williamson, MD, president of the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) and professor of radiology at Mayo Clinic, explains how the iodine contrast shortage is causing issues for cardiac CT imaging and ways this can be mitigated.

FDA posts guidance on managing risk of drug shortages

The Food & Drug Administration has drafted guidelines to help U.S. healthcare better prepare for and respond to events associated with these situations.

A comparison between a traditional iodine contrast angiogram (left), and a gadolinium contrast angiogram (right). MRI gadolinium contrast is starting to be used in some interventional radiology procedures and is being considered in interventional cardiology due to the iodine contrast shortage.

Gadolinium can be used as substitute for iodine contrast in some interventional imaging procedures

Gadolinium might be an alternative, stop-gap solution for interventional procedures during the current iodine contrast shortage.

Around the web

Radiology Business

New findings ‘challenge the use of imaging surveillance’ after any mastectomy

Regardless of whether or not they received reconstructive surgery, post-mastectomy patients probably need no follow-up imaging for breast cancer.

Health Exec

Advocate Aurora Health, Atrium Health complete merger

The new Advocate Health serves nearly six million patients annually and is the fifth-largest nonprofit integrated health system in the nation.

Health Imaging

'Crash course' on COVID cases benefits residents less experienced with thoracic CT

Following the course, experts observed nearly perfect agreement between less experienced residents and chest-devoted radiologists.