ISM’s September report showed mounting cost and delivery pressures. The services sector Prices Index reached 74, its highest reading since July 2022, while supplier deliveries slowed and order backlogs also reached a four-year high. Healthcare and social assistance reported higher prices, slower deliveries, growing inventories and orders, and declining employment. Tariffs and fuel costs were leading supply chain concerns.

For hospital purchasing teams, these findings signal potential pressure on freight, technology, facilities, and purchased-service budgets heading into 2027. Rising demand and slower deliveries could also complicate backorder management and capital projects. Buyers should scrutinize supplier surcharges, confirm lead times, and review inventory needs. The report identifies broad healthcare employment declines; it does not establish whether supply chain staffing specifically fell.