As the healthcare supply chain continues to bounce back from COVID-19 disruptions, leaders are monitoring geopolitical concerns, inflation, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity dangers. 

More physicians understand the FDA's approval process for drugs than they do for medical devices, according to findings from a survey published Jan. 16 in Health Affairs.

Prairie Lakes Healthcare System named Michael Moore as its new supply chain director Jan. 12. 

There is a risk of serious injury or death related to more than 20 million CPAP masks made by ResMed, the FDA said Jan. 11. 

Medtronic has ended contracts with 200 suppliers, and the medical device company plans to close five manufacturing plants and six distribution centers, according to a Jan. 9 Star Tribune report.

The FDA has issued temporary authorization for the importation of a syphilis drug that's been in short supply since last April. 

Medline acquired United Medco, a national provider of supplemental benefits and member engagement solutions, on Jan. 10. 

As the FDA investigates China-made plastic syringes because of compatibility issues with syringe pumps, Cardinal Health said 32 million of its syringes are experiencing the same issue. 

The number of blood donors in the U.S. has hit a 20-year low, the American Red Cross warned Jan. 9.

HCA Healthcare's group purchasing organization, HealthTrust Performance Group, signed 20 new health system and hospital partners in 2023, increasing its roster of exclusive partnerships to 58. 

Most medical devices, including many implants, are being cleared for sale by the FDA without tests for safety or effectiveness, KFF Health News reported Dec. 21.

Northwell Health plans to annually treat more than 500,000 pounds of regulated medical waste in its core laboratory, which processes samples from more than 20,000 patients every day. 

The federal government paid $123 million to build the nation's first plant to reproduce synthetic rubber into nitrile gloves, but after medical supply shortages ebbed, the Virginia facility sits unused, The Washington Post reported Dec. 28. 

While the supply chain stabilized as COVID-19 ebbed, thousands of drug delivery devices, syringes and eye drops fell into shortage in 2023. Here are eight noteworthy shortages from the past 12 months:

NYC Health + Hospitals' Danielle DiBari, PharmD, and the system's supply team are working to establish a Diverse Supplier Council to cement equity throughout the hospital supply chain. 

Philips North America is recalling 150 MRI machines in the U.S. due to explosion risks. The FDA has classified the recall as a Class 1, the most serious type of recall. 

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, states scrambled to secure masks, medical gowns and other personal protective equipment for healthcare workers. Much of those items have sat in stockpiles and with product expiration dates approaching, states are throwing out troves of PPE worth millions, according to a report from The Associated Press.     

Olympus, a Japan-based medical devicemaker, is warning customers of more than 17,000 airway products that might burn patients or catch fire, the FDA said Dec. 19. 

Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium Health recently joined the Medical Device Information Analysis and Sharing partnership, which aims to inject transparency into the medical supply industry. 

At the urging of White House officials, manufacturers have confirmed they will make an additional 230,000 doses of respiratory syncytial virus immunizations available for infants in January, alleviating a nationwide shortage.