December 2021

HSCA RELEASES HEALTHCARE CYBERSECURITY KEY CONSIDERATIONS TO HELP PROTECT PATIENT HEALTH, SAFETY, AND PRIVACY

Washington, DC (December 21, 2021) – The Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA), which represents the nation’s leading healthcare group purchasing organizations (GPOs), today released key cybersecurity considerations for medical device manufacturers, healthcare delivery organizations, and service providers to help safeguard patient health, safety, and privacy. In conjunction with the release of the key considerations, HSCA also published “Recommendations for Medical Device Cybersecurity Terms and Conditions,” which details potential purchasing contract terms and conditions that could help ensure rapid adoption of rigorous cybersecurity measures.

“The widespread adoption of telemedicine and rapid shift to virtual operations during the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the important role that information technology, software, and medical devices can play in improving patient care. However, as evidenced by recent cyberattacks, medical devices and services are vulnerable to cybersecurity threats that could jeopardize patient health, safety, and privacy,” said HSCA President and CEO Todd Ebert, R. Ph. “GPOs leverage their unique line of sight over the supply chain to help providers harness the benefits of technology to care for their patients while guarding against cyber threats.”

Click here to read the full release.

HSCA NAMES SUPPLY CHAIN VETERAN TODD EBERT AS PRESIDENT AND CEO

Washington, DC (December 7, 2021) – The Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA), which represents the nation’s leading healthcare group purchasing organizations (GPOs), today announced that it has named supply chain veteran and healthcare expert Todd Ebert as permanent President and CEO of the Healthcare Supply Chain Association, effective today. Ebert has been the Interim CEO since June 2021 and previously served as HSCA’s CEO from 2015 to 2019.

“Throughout his distinguished career, Todd Ebert has been at the forefront of some of the most significant developments and challenges in healthcare and there is no better advocate for the healthcare supply chain at a critical time in the healthcare industry,” said Bharat Sundaram, Vizient President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) and HSCA Board Chair. “We are grateful to Todd for his leadership over the past six months as Interim CEO of HSCA, and we are thrilled to have him at the helm of the organization permanently.”

Click here to read the full press release.

HSCA Statement on Nomination of Dr. Robert Califf to be FDA Commissioner

Washington, DC (November 12, 2021) – Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA) Interim President and CEO Todd Ebert today released the following statement regarding the nomination of Dr. Robert Califf to be Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA):

“HSCA and its member group purchasing organizations (GPOs) applaud President Biden and his Administration for working to provide the FDA with permanent leadership. As the United States continues to address the COVID-19 pandemic, strengthening the resiliency and visibility of the healthcare supply chain is more important than ever. We look forward to continuing to work with the FDA and all policymakers to support first class patient care.”

Click here to see the full statement.

HSCA STATEMENT ON APPOINTMENT OF SUPPLY CHAIN VETERAN TODD EBERT AS INTERIM PRESIDENT AND CEO

Washington, DC (July 12, 2021) – Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA) Board Chair and Vizient President and Chief Operating Officer Bharat Sundaram today released the following statement regarding the hiring of supply chain veteran and former HSCA CEO Todd Ebert as the Interim President and CEO of HSCA:

“HSCA and its member group purchasing organizations (GPOs) are proud to welcome Todd Ebert as the interim President and CEO of HSCA. Throughout his 40+ year career – first as a pharmacist, then as the CEO of a leading GPO, and ultimately as President and CEO of HSCA – Todd Ebert has been a leading and deeply respected voice in healthcare. The entire supply chain will benefit from Todd’s leadership, clarity of vision, and wealth of healthcare industry expertise, and we are thrilled to have Todd at the organization’s helm through this next chapter.

Click here to read the full statement.

HSCA Releases Fourth Annual Report On Value GPOs Deliver To The Healthcare Supply Chain

Washington, DC (June 4, 2021) – The Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA), which represents the nation’s leading healthcare group purchasing organizations (GPOs), today released its fourth annual report on the value that GPOs deliver to the healthcare system. The report, which was based on existing academic research and on a survey of HSCA member GPOs, found that GPOs played a critical role in supporting COVID-19 response efforts; helped promote an increase in member provider use of virtual health operations from 2 percent to 70 percent; drove quality throughout the healthcare system; increased competition; and advanced supply chain resiliency while delivering up to $34.1 billion annually in critical cost-savings to providers.

“The COVID-19 pandemic placed enormous and unprecedented stress on the entire healthcare system, including hospitals, other healthcare providers, and the supply chain. GPOs have been critical partners to America’s healthcare providers in the COVID-19 fight, working closely alongside hospitals and other providers to help support access to essential products and safeguard patient care,” said HSCA President and CEO Khatereh Calleja. “This year’s HSCA Annual Value Report confirms what hospitals, healthcare providers, suppliers and policymakers see every day: GPOs enhance quality, increase competition, reduce costs, strengthen visibility, and support response efforts to crises like COVID-19.”

Click here to read the full release.

HSCA Statement on President Biden’s Executive Order on America’s Supply Chains

Washington, DC (February 25, 2021) – Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA) President and CEO Khatereh Calleja today released the following statement regarding President Biden’s Executive Order on America’s supply chains of critical goods, products, and services:

“HSCA and its member group purchasing organizations (GPOs) applaud President Biden for his focus on strengthening the resiliency of America’s critical supply chains, including the healthcare supply chain.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of having a strong and diverse healthcare supply chain to ensure patient and provider access to critical medical products. GPOs have played a critical role in supporting COVID-19 response efforts and have long advocated for policy solutions that promote a robust and redundant supply chain. While we are still reviewing the Executive Order, we thank President Biden for his efforts to support a sustainable supply chain, and we look forward to working with him and his Administration to strengthen supply chain resiliency and preserve access to care.”

Click here to read the full statement.

HSCA Comments to FDA Regarding FDA’s List of Public Health Focused Essential Medicines

On behalf of the Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA), we appreciate the opportunity to provide comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding FDA’s recently published list of essential medicines, medical countermeasures (MCM), and their critical inputs. HSCA and our member companies are committed to ensuring continued patient access to critical medical products.

Click here to read the full comments.

HSCA Statement on President Biden’s Executive Order on the Healthcare Supply Chain

HSCA Statement on President Biden’s Executive Order on the Healthcare Supply Chain

Washington, DC (January 22, 2021) – Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA) President and CEO Khatereh Calleja today released the following statement regarding President Biden’s Executive Order on a sustainable public health supply chain:

“HSCA and its member group purchasing organizations (GPOs) applaud President Biden for his focus on ensuring patient and provider access to critical medical supplies.

Click here to read the full release.

HSCA Submits Comments to FDA on Using Unique Device Identifiers in Medical Device Safety Communications to Support Accuracy, Quality, and Patient Safety

Washington, DC (January 19, 2021) – The Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA) Committee for Healthcare eStandards (CHeS) today submitted comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) encouraging the agency to use unique device identifiers (UDI) to improve FDA communications regarding the safety of medical devices.

Patients across the country rely on medical devices in their day-to-day lives, and timely, informative communications in the event of medical device issues are critical to patient care. The FDA solicited feedback from healthcare stakeholders on ways to strengthen the agency’s medical device safety communications to help support patient safety.

“The ability to track and recall medical devices when issues arise is critical to protecting patients, many of whom depend on medical devices,” said Curt Miller, Executive Director of CHeS. “Incorporating UDIs into all FDA data sets, submissions, and communications will enable healthcare stakeholders to quickly identify and withdraw relevant products and improve overall accurate identification and traceability while promoting patient safety.”

Click here to read the full release.

Click here to read the full comments.