MHA Society for Supply Chain Management

Heart group issues recommendations to promote ICD safety

The Heart Rhythm Society on Sept. 28 released its final recommendations for handling recalls of implantable cardioverter defibrillators. The guidelines include recommendations for physicians, manufacturers, the Food and Drug Administration and Congress in an effort to better identify, report, communicate and prevent device malfunctions.

Overall objectives include greater transparency in post-market surveillance, analysis and reporting; new systems to identify malfunctioning devices sooner; and standard notification and communication to physicians and patients when a malfunction is identified. Cardiac care physicians and other experts developed the guidelines over the past year following several ICD recalls.

[ via AHA News Now ]

Manufacturers not offering IVIG at discount to qualified hospitals, survey finds

Many hospitals that participate in the federal 340B drug discount program cannot purchase intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), a blood product used to treat patients with immune deficiency diseases, through the program or at any price, according to a new survey by the Public Hospital Pharmacy Coalition. Nearly 80% of respondents were unable to purchase IVIG through the 340B program, while roughly half could purchase enough IVIG outside the program to meet patient needs. “It is clear, in short, that manufacturers are not offering legally obligatory 340B discounts on IVIG to qualified hospitals, even when product is available,” the coalition said.

[ via AHA News Now ]

Hospitals to celebrate Materials Management Week

Hospitals will celebrate National Healthcare Resource & Materials Management Week Oct. 1-7, an opportunity to recognize and salute these hospital professionals for their daily contributions. The Association for Healthcare Resource & Materials Management, an American Hospital Association personal membership group, sponsors the annual week. For this year’s theme and ideas for celebrating, see the event’s brochure.

[ via AHA News Now ]

Hospital supply costs to rise 5.1% in 2006: Moody's

Hospitals and health systems expect supply costs to increase an average of 5.1% in fiscal 2006, Moody's Investors Service said, based on survey responses from 82 not-for-profits. Supplies accounted for a median of 18.25% of operating expense in fiscal 2005, up from 18.05% in fiscal 2004, according to the survey.

Moody's said rising supply costs shouldn't hurt credit ratings in the short term, as most hospitals have invested in supply-chain management technology and engaged physicians in controlling costs. Nearly all respondents, 97.5%, belonged to a group purchasing organization or purchasing cooperative, reporting an average of 4.5% savings on supplies through the affiliations. However, "several respondents reported strong consideration to supplement or even abandon GPO membership and build in-house purchasing teams to extract even more savings," Moody's said.

[ via Modern Healthcare's Daily Dose ]