The healthcare supply chain is getting a post-pandemic makeover.

The Covid-19 crisis illuminated shortfalls like just-in-time inventory practices that left hospitals short on necessary medical supplies and reliant on other countries for drug products, which resulted in numerous drug shortages. The supply chain of the future, however, can employ technology to gain increased visibility into every step in the chain and to better anticipate future disruptions, experts told Healthcare Brew.

“There’s a lot more focus now that’s been placed on understanding the true end-to-end supply chain vulnerabilities,” said Jamie Barker, SVP of supply chain at pharmaceutical distributor Cardinal Health.

Keep reading here.—MA

Do you work in healthcare or have information about the industry that we should know? Email Maia at [email protected]. For confidential conversations, ask Maia for her number on Signal.

Snacks are an underrated—but very necessary—part of good office vibes. Finding the right snack to keep your whole team happy and fueled up for the day? Quite the challenge.

Luckily, that’s where Walmart Business comes in. Their breakroom selection features plenty of tasty, healthy options to help you (and your employees) tackle the day. From nutritious to indulgent, Walmart Business has all your cravings covered.

It’s also easy to stock up. Customize your order and choose pickup or drop-off with just a few clicks, and voilà! Your team has the bites they need to power through their workday.

Stockpile your snacks.

Doctors are excited—yet cautious—about the role augmented intelligence (AUI) could play in the future of healthcare.

That’s the takeaway from an American Medical Association (AMA) survey released last month.

About two-thirds (65%) of 1,000+ physicians that the AMA surveyed in August 2023 agreed that there was at least some advantage to using AUI-powered tools, particularly when it comes to diagnostic ability (72%), work efficiency (69%), and clinical outcomes (61%). More than half (56%) of doctors said AUI tools could best help address administrative burdens.

Keep reading here.—SY

Do you work in healthcare or have information about the industry that we should know? Email Shannon at [email protected]. For confidential conversations, ask Shannon for her number on Signal.

On Fridays, we schedule our rounds with Healthcare Brew readers. Want to be featured in an upcoming edition? Click here to introduce yourself.

This week’s Making Rounds spotlights Matt Eakins, president of digital health analytics platform Lucina. Eakins talked about the work his team is doing to increase access to women’s healthcare and reduce racial disparities in maternal health outcomes.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in healthcare?

I have the privilege of leading Lucina, a business division of Unified Women’s Healthcare that is dedicated to helping all women have the best healthcare in the world. Lucina has created a digital health platform with proprietary technology that helps increase equity in maternity outcomes.

Keep reading here.—MA

Today’s top healthcare reads.

Stat: Insurer Cigna is nearing a deal to sell its Medicare Advantage business to Health Care Service Corp for $3–$4 billion. (the Wall Street Journal)

Quote: “It gives you an early warning so the providers on-site can bring everyone back.”—John King, a Boston-based electrician, on creating a motion-sensor system that can be installed in public bathrooms to detect overdoses (Stat)

Read: New York City residents have the black lung—erhm, a hacking cough—that seems like it’s here to stay. (The Cut)

Fuel up: Walmart Business has all the healthy (and delish) snacks you need to keep your team’s energy high. Customize your order + choose pickup or drop-off with just a few clicks.*

^{*A message from our sponsor.}