Session: Anchors Away: 5 Strategies to Right-Size Your Inventory and Improve Supply Contracts
Editor's Note As executive director of the Association for Health Care Resource & Materials Management (AHRMM), Michael Schiller, CMRP, gets regular insight into strategies employed by healthcare organizations, suppliers, technology leaders and frontline staff—insight he was happy to share with OR business Management Conference attendees in a February 11 presentation.…
Session: Cracking the Code: Innovative Hacks for Preference Card Management and C-Suite Support
Editor's Note Outdated and inaccurate preference cards cost hospitals millions of dollars in delayed surgeries wasted supplies—but with the right strategy, they can become a powerful tool for efficiency and cost reduction. This was among the main takeaways of a 2025 OR Business Management Conference presentation from Jason Goodwin, MPH,…
Session: Crew Incentives: 3 Guiding Principles to Leverage Value Analysis Teams
Editor's Note Jasmine Hampton-Nicholson MSN, RN, CNOR, learned the value of a value analysis team (VAT) the hard way. “I thought that we had a very solid process for our value analysis team,” said the VP of perioperative services at Temple University Health System in a presentation at 2025 OR…
Session: Anchoring Profits—Restructuring Inventory Practices to Secure $200 Million in Cost Savings
Editor's Note Restructuring inventory management has slashed costs and enhanced efficiency at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), presenters revealed at the OR Business Management Conference, touting an initial savings estimate of $200 million. Presented by Paul Flaherty, CRCST, Senior Manager Customer Service, Joshua Gomez, MPH, Business Operations Manager, and Steve Spring,…
Solving the supply chain equation takes shared perspective, ingenuity
Takeaways • Interdepartmental collaboration and standardized communication are essential to quickly identifying and addressing supply chain challenges. • Just-in-time inventory strategies have gained traction since the pandemic. Successful strategies involve leveraging data, rethinking preference card management, and shifting to a demand-planning model. • Resiliency is essential to cope with the…
Three strategies for demystifying the ASC supply chain puzzle
Ensuring safe, quality care requires precise alignment among inventory levels, delivery schedules, storage solutions, and every other element of the supply chain. A single missing piece of this puzzle—say, a delayed shipment or a storage issue—can disrupt the entire picture. Making the pieces fit can be difficult for any healthcare…
Hospitals continue to grapple with IV fluid shortage
Editor's Note US hospitals continue to face a shortage of intravenous (IV) fluids due to Hurricane-related damage to the Baxter manufacturing facility that was responsible for 60% of the nation’s supply, MedPage Today reported December 31. Citing a report from Baxter, the article notes that the manufacturer has restored eight…
IV fluid shortage drives innovation in hospital hydration practices
Editor's Note A nationwide shortage of intravenous (IV) fluids is forcing hospitals to adopt conservation strategies that could reshape hydration practices long-term, KFF Health News reported November 19. The shortage was driven by Hurricane Helene’s damage to Baxter International’s North Cove facility, which is responsible for 60% of US IV…
How Tampa General Hospital prepared for Hurricane Helene
Editor's Note Applying lessons learned from Hurricane Ian in 2022 helped Tampa General Hospital (TGH) successfully withstand Hurricane Helene in late September, according to an October 3 HealthLeaders interview with TGH CEO John Couris. Detailing how strategic preparations ensured the safety of its patients, staff, and critical infrastructure, including its…
ECRI issues guidance to address medical supply shortages caused by hurricanes, dockworkers’ strike
Editor's Note Patient safety nonprofit ECRI is offering resources to help healthcare providers mitigate potential shortages of critical medical supplies following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene along the US southeast coast and the ongoing strike by the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA). According to an October 1 announcement, the first…
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