In ambulatory surgery centers and surgical hospitals across America, it’s common practice for IV supplies to be housed in a single bin. However, this practice can contribute to cross contamination among patients.

Buying new equipment for an ASC is a big decision. The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses shared these purchasing tips:

  Effective supply chain management is a key component of an ASC's clinical, operational and financial success, according to Mandie Shipp, BSN, RN, senior consultant of the clinical operations ambulatory care segment at Cardinal Health.

  Tom Hui, founder of ASC software company HST Pathways, provides EHR and data management help for more than 700 surgery centers across the U.S. Here, he shares his thoughts on ASC tech trends, IT security and more.

A nurse in an outpatient women's surgery center developed guidelines for postoperative opioid use as part of her doctor of nursing practice clinical scholarship project, according to the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Here are five supply chain tips experts shared with Becker's ASC Review that were featured this month:

Supply chain leaders play an essential role in day-to-day surgery center operations. Here are three hospitals, health systems and companies hiring supply chain leaders:

In light of supply chain shortages, ASCs should plan for the worst by communicating with supply sales representatives, according to Cheryl Poplaski, Vizient's senior director of supply chain operations.

Helene Levenson, senior consultant at Cardinal Health, discusses how the ASC industry is adapting to changes in healthcare and what to expect in the future.

Keeping an eye on performance metrics can help ASCs increase supply chain efficiency, said Molly Ehrlich, Vizient's consulting director of advisory solutions for supply chain operations.

The shift to value-based care poses both risks and new opportunities for ASCs in the area of inventory management, according to Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems' Ruben Taborda, senior director of supply chain customer solutions.

Hospital-based supply chain strategies often work for ASCs too, said Molly Ehrlich, a senior consulting director with healthcare performance improvement company Vizient.

Ann Castro, BroadJump's vice president of non-acute sales, weighed in on the top supply chain opportunities and challenges for ASCs.

Molly Ehrlich, Vizient's consulting director of advisory solutions for supply chain operations, shared a story on Vizient's blog about an operating room that kept running out of supplies.

ASC management software developer Simplify ASC shared tips for effective ASC inventory management.

Michael Einhorn, president of Dealmed, an independent medical supplier, shared his insights on the top ASC supply chain challenges and trends to know.

Chris Childers, Cardinal Health's national sales director of strategic accounts, weighed in on best supply chain practices for ASCs.

Taking advantage of technology may help lower supply chain costs for ASCs, said Molly Ehrlich, consulting director of advisory solutions for supply chain operations for healthcare improvement company Vizient.

HSTpathways ASC Software made the 2019 Inc. 5000 list, a ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S.

HealthTech Arkansas selected Bardy Diagnostics for its 2019 accelerator program.