The cost of medical supplies has been rising due to shortages, supply chain issues and inflation. In conjunction with declining reimbursements and rising practice costs, ASCs are forced to grapple with a tumultuous financial landscape — all while ensuring quality care, patient satisfaction and more.

As the healthcare industry continues to face pressures from a struggling global supply chain, job openings for supply chain professionals also continue to rise nationwide. 

Medical device company IMBiotechnologies has signed a supply agreement with group purchasing organization Medicus Management, which currently supplies 20 office-based laboratories and ASCs. 

Medical product manufacturer Medline has entered a vendor partnership with Lincoln, Neb.-based Urology, P.C., which operates an ASC, medical practice and oncology clinic. 

April 29 is deemed National Supply Chain Day, recognizing the importance of the global supply chain in people's lives. 

The Senate Finance Committee introduced legislation designed to prevent and reduce generic drug shortages in wake of the U.S. seeing the highest number of domestic drug shortages since 2001, The Hill reported May 3.

IMBiotechnologies has signed a supply agreement with Embol Experts, one of the largest group purchasing organizations for ASCs and office-based laboratories in the U.S. 

Here are four ASCs and health systems that have secured partnerships with major supplier Medline so far in 2024: 

Medical product distribution company Cardinal Health has recently been named one of the largest healthcare companies in the U.S. by revenue, bringing in $216.2 billion over the most recent four quarters. 

In 2021, medical devicemaker Philips recalled 3.5 million ventilation devices after finding a defect that could cause cancer. 

Although expense management is always something leaders consider when managing ASCs, in recent years cutting costs has become even more important to grapple with ongoing supply disruptions, increasing costs of supplies and labor and decreasing reimbursements.

The Surgery Center of Fort Wayne (Ind.) has tapped medical supplier Medline as its prime vendor as part of a new, multiyear partnership. 

Ongoing economic struggles have forced ASCs to update their strategy — or in some cases, face potential closure. 

Geopolitical events have had major impacts on the U.S. medical supply chain in 2023 and promise to continue doing so in 2024, according to a Jan. 23 blog post from major supplier Premier. 

The American Red Cross said the U.S. is experiencing an "emergency" blood shortage as the number of donors has hit a 20-year low.

Large drugmakers including Pfizer and Takeda Pharmaceuticals plan to raise prices of more than 500 prescription drugs this month, according to research cited by Reuters.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, practices have faced a myriad of supply challenges, from rising costs to persistent shortages. 

A number of medical suppliers have been caught in fraud and kickback schemes this year, including Medtronic and Beach medical Suppliers. 

Construction of the largest ambulatory care center in the country is currently underway on the UC Davis Health campus in Sacramento, Calif., according to a Nov. 7 report from the Sacramento Business Journal. 

House Republicans wrote a letter to the FDA seeking an explanation for ongoing supply chain issues and drug shortages, The Hill reported Nov. 3.