Clinical Resource Management
The million dollar question for most organizations is how to reduce supply cost using credible data and also be able to sustain savings. More often than not, providers aren’t aware of the tools available in the marketplace that can gauge supply chain performance, define cost-reduction opportunities, gain physician support and drive sustainable change. With the right data and approach to evaluate supply cost, hospitals can significantly reduce the cost of care. Learn how one provider implemented key strategies, such as discovering what their supply spend should really be, leveraging specific targets and roadmaps for achievement, measuring success towards those targets, as well as connecting supply costs with clinical outcomes and patient encounters.
Brent Petty , Corporate Director, Supply Chain, Wellmont Health System, Kingsport, TN
Michael Louviere , Vice President, Supply Chain, Baptist Health System, Birmingham, AL
Distribution
Supply Chain within the Continental Division of HCA has initiated an OR project over the last 18 months. Supply Chain has taken over the inventory management of all supplies used in the OR except for drugs. We have responsibility for the following: Inventory Management of the OR core supply area, Case cart picking area, as well as the OR suites. The Supply Chain inventories, orders and stocks all the areas. This will include an OR system that will allow us to maintain a perpetual inventory for the OR supplies. Case Cart Picking for all surgical procedures at a facility managed and pulled by the Supply Chain Staff. Supply Chain maintains the accuracy of the OR dictionary and preference cards.
Beth Bozzelli, Director of OR Supply Cost Management, HCA, Nashville, TN
Finance
New P-Card programs are emerging to support a fully automated payment solution that enables the buyer to make payments and send remittance advice electronically (like a Bank ACH). Unlike a traditional P-Card program, there’s no plastic card to handle; nor do suppliers need a POS terminal, credit authorization or the need for the buyer to pre-load the account with cash. The virtual card is a secure account number, handled by the card issuer’s merchant bank. The account number is never exchanged between buyer and supplier, and is securely tracked by the merchant bank. The entire purchasing process remains in place; from requisition to purchase order, to matching in AP. The card is simply used as an alternative form of payment, mimicking electronic funds transfers.
John Langone , AVP, Office of Procurement & Accounts Payable, North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System, Lake Success, NY
Professional Development
Today’s supply chain managers are being called upon to step up to the plate and deliver as never before. The door is open and there is an opportunity to make a significant impact on your organization. However, it is no longer business as usual and successful supply chain managers will be those who are willing (and able) to turn things upside-down and re-evaluate everything they do, looking at the big picture with one question in mind: Does what I do provide the best return to my organization? This could result in changes that are contrary to current practice; even some that border on the heretical. Learn how this contrary view can enhance your career by helping you deliver a Maximum-Value Supply Chain to your organization.
Michael Rudomin, MHA, Principal, HealthCare Solutions Bureau, Bolton, MA
Purchasing
Pharmaceutical expenses continue to rise at a remarkable rate; the increases are a result of price inflation, increased utilization and bio-technical advances. Studies indicate that 70+ percent of a hospital pharmacy’s budget is associated with drug expenditures. This alone draws attention from senior executives and finance managers.
Pharmacy has historically managed all aspects of this portion of the supply chain, but the increased involvement of supply chain executives can be beneficial. As pharmacists continue to focus on patient care and the clinical appropriateness of drug utilization, supply chain experts can help ensure the best use of information to trend and evaluate amongst product options. Studies demonstrate that the coordinated efforts of these disciplines and effective formulary management can reduce total drug costs.
Lowell G. Church, Vice President, Material Management, Adventist Health, Roseville, CA
Jay Souza, Director, Pharmacy Consulting, Premier, Inc., Charlotte, NC
Strategic Planning
Healthcare supply chain professionals have increasingly created strategic partnerships with trading partners, creating joint value for both the provider and the supplier while establishing long term business relationships. SMI’s recently enhanced Measuring Effective Relationships Tool is a key component of the joint value creation and quality measurement processes employed by the Texas Health Resources (THR) Supply Chain professionals with their strategic partners. Faculty will share lessons learned, methodologies applied, and success stories from THRs extensive use of this quality improvement and measurement tool, available free to the healthcare supply chain industry. Attendees will receive a detailed overview of how they can successfully incorporate the Measuring Effective Relationships Tool into their joint value creation processes to support, enhance, and measure their established strategic partnerships.
John B. Gaida, FAHRMM, Senior Vice President, Supply Chain Management, Texas Health Resources, Arlington, TX
Thomas Hughes, MBA, Executive Director, Strategic Marketplace Initiative, Scituate, MA
Technology Solutions
Learn from a leading healthcare provider what you need to know about the 3 Gs of GS1 standards and how they can help to deliver the right product, to the right place, at the right time. The 3 Gs (GLN, GTIN, GDSN) are the foundation of the GS1 System of global supply chain standards that have delivered proven results for over 35 years in the retail / grocery industries. Now the healthcare industry is rapidly adopting GS1 standards to improve patient safety and supply chain efficiency. Industry-accepted sunrise dates have been set for December 2010 to implement GS1 Global Location Numbers (GLNs) for location identification and December 2012 to implement GS1 Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs) for product identification.
Jean Sargent, CMRP, FAHRMM,Director, USC Health Sciences, Los Angeles, CA
