About AHRMM

Robert Taylor

Provider Candidate

Robert Taylor, MBA
AVP Supply Chain
UAB Health System
619 South 19^th Street, MEB30
Birmingham, AL 35249
(205) 996-7458
bataylor@uabmc.edu

Background

Member of AHRMM for seven years
20 years of experience in the resource and materials management field

Current Position and Responsibilities

Type of Organization: Hospital/Medical Center
Three years in current position

Responsible for: AVP Supply Chain for UAB Health System including the flagship University Hospital, Physician Practice Plan, two community hospitals, and a specialty eye hospital.

AHRMM Annual Conferences and Leadership
Training Conferences

2009 AHRMM Annual Conference - Tampa, Florida
2007 AHRMM Annual Conference - San Diego, California

Why you are seeking this position?

I have been a Supply Chain professional for over 20 years, all within the Healthcare industry. Over this period of time, I have seen the requirements and skill sets required for success change and develop. I have worked diligently to improve my knowledge and skills so that I can continue to be successful including obtaining an advanced degree and participating in educational opportunities available through GPO affiliations. Over this period of time I have also become acutely aware that there are many within the Healthcare Supply Chain that do not have the requisite skills for success in the current and future environment and may not be able to lead our profession forward with the success and recognition deserved.

My interest in becoming a Board Member is to help others improve their skills and abilities so that they can achieve both professional success and personal achievement. Professional success will be realized by becoming a more valued member of their management and leadership teams by demonstrating the strategic importance of Supply Chain and their ability to tactically execute within their own organizations. Personal Achievement can be realized by advancement within their organization and industry as a knowledgeable and respected leader.

I believe that I can contribute to this by not only being a personal example to the value of remaining current in a changing industry but by guiding AHRMM to provide the education and opportunities to advance the membership.

How can you advance AHRMM's mission to advance healthcare through supply chain excellence?

I can do this through personal example, by helping to provide the education and training opportunities necessary for success, and advancing the awareness of AHRMM and the value that it provides not only to members but to the industry as a whole.

Identify 3 - 5 strategic priorities you think AHRMM should undertake and your reasons for identifying them as important.

1. Expanding and making more available education opportunities. Education is provided currently in an a la carte fashion. I think a subscription may be beneficial such that members could budget and pay for unlimited education for a year at a time. This could make education more available and accessed at a greater rate than the current method.

2. Educational offerings should be available in tracts both for those at different levels of experience and in skills that are required for success beyond those of Supply Chain technical skills such as idea presentation and sales techniques.

3. AHRMM should increase the partnership and interaction with other professional organizations such as HFMA and ACHE to ensure that the skills we develop are the same as those desired by the Financial and Operational Leaders within the industry

Identify your personal and professional qualities that will be valuable in the position for which you are being considered.

I have over twenty years of experience in Healthcare Supply Chain in Community, For Profit, and Academic settings. I have had the opportunity to participate in all aspects of the Supply Chain activities including Purchasing, Distribution, Contracting, and Sterile Processing in both distributed and consolidated environments. The depth and breadth of my experience are important to me but even more so provide a significant resource to others and fuel my interest and passion in developing and teaching others so that they may too have success.

How will you use these qualities to benefit AHRMM, the Board, and the members?

My experience and knowledge can help guide the organization, leadership, and membership in a strategic manner. Because I have the experiences that I do I can provide leadership and information in a broad array of areas and with significant detail and granularity. Healthcare Supply Chain is my chosen career and one for which I have tremendous passion. This passion coupled with my experience is a blend of qualities that I think will help further develop AHRMM and serve as an example to the membership as a whole.

What do you expect to be your single, greatest contribution to AHRMM as a Board member?

Expanding the educational opportunities available and making them more relevant and more utilized. All three of those together are necessary for the educational opportunities to be realized.

Describe one transformational experience in your professional life you have been involved with and what you have learned from this experience.

I led the consolidation of Supply Chain Services within the HCA Southeast Division, twenty two hospitals in three states. This was both a great challenge and a great opportunity. Success required all the requisite skills of leader including organization, delegation, and communication. The challenge and experience were those rarely available and both challenged and grew my skills and abilities. The lessons learned of over communicating, caring at least as much for people as for what they can do, and setting the mark for all to follow are things that have guided my behavior in my personal and professional lives.