Education

Supply Chain and Materials Management professionals can take advantage of the best educational offerings with the Best of AHRMM educational series.

Map the future of your facility and career with digital audio video recordings fully synchronized with the PowerPoint presentations. Watch information-packed learning labs in the following tracks: Distribution, Finance, Technology Solutions, Purchasing, Strategic Planning, Clinical Resource Management, and Professional Development.

Every course, offered in conjunction with Prosperity Online Education, provides an affordable and practical continuing education option for professionals at every level. Packages of all courses as well as bundles of five courses are also available at a discount to AHRMM Members.

Basic

Still More Best Practices in Materials Management
AHRMM Member: $49.00 Non-Member: $59.00 CEUs: 0.125
Track: Strategic Planning Course Level: Basic

Join this online presentation to compare your practices to the best we have seen. In 2002 three supply chain professionals put together a list of 16 best practices in materials management and presented it at the AHRMM meeting. Each year the list has grown and now includes over 60. Some may be familiar and already implemented by many. Others are more recent additions and still only practiced by a few. What they all have in common is their proven ability to reduce cost, enhance operations, and/or improve customer satisfaction.

Dave Kaczmarek, Director, Wellspring Partners, Derry, NH
Michael Neely, President, Perimeter Solutions Group, Atlanta, GA
Robert Poore, Implementation Manager, Supply Chain Services, VHA Inc, Bartlett, TN

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Intermediate

Application of Six Sigma to Inventory Management
AHRMM Member: $49.00 Non-Member: $59.00 CEUs: 0.125
Track: Distribution Course Level: Intermediate

The VHA Healthcare Network Upstate NY recently completed a six sigma initiative utilizing the DMAIC — Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control - model. This online course outlines how key stakeholders defined core inventory management processes that required improvement, redefining inventory management performance standards (clinically and fiscally), and streamlining the distribution process.

Mark Fontaine Westhart, Chief Logistics Officer, VA Upstate NY Healthcare System, Albany, NY
Victor Heinrich, President, Victor E. Heinrich & Associates, Inc., Ellicott City, MD

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Linking Supply Chain with the Revenue Cycle
AHRMM Member: $49.00 Non-Member: $59.00 CEUs: 0.125
Track: Finance Course Level: Intermediate

The Disciplines of Revenue Cycle Performance and Supply Chain Economics have often been seen as independent strategies of pursuit in a hospital’s operating plan. This seminar will highlight the importance of not only recognizing the inherent strengths of aligning these disciplines, if embraced as an integrated operating strategy. This will enhance your organizations ability to maximize revenue cycle expectations while lowering the expenses associated in procuring supplies and technologies.

Allen Caudle, Partner, Appleseed Healthcare Resources, Mercer Island, WA
Nick Gaich, Partner, Chief Strategic Officer, Appleseed Healthcare Resources, Morgan Hill, CA

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Lessons Learned in Supply Chain Cost Reduction
AHRMM Member: $49.00 Non-Member: $59.00 CEUs: 0.125
Track: Clinical Resource Management Course Level: Intermediate

Clinical innovations and quality improvement efforts are transforming patient care. However, these same advances, combined with declining reimbursements, make it difficult for hospitals and health systems to maintain appropriate margins. In this online course, VHA and Tucson Medical Center, a leader in the nation’s orthopedic surgeries, will showcase strategic solutions that leverage information management technology, promote physician-hospital alignment, and work throughout all departments to implement cost reduction strategies.

Palmer Evans, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Tucson Medical Center, Tucson, AZ
Patricia Tyson, Vice President, Clinical Specialty Services, VHA, Norcross, GA

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The Economic Downturn - Impacts on the Healthcare Supply Chain
AHRMM Member: $49.00 Non-Member: $59.00 CEUs: 0.125
Track: Distribution Course Level: Intermediate

The current economic downturn is the result of a combination of forces – not simply the oil and gas markets. In short, a range of global economic factors are impacting the global healthcare supply chain. Few domestic suppliers, and even fewer suppliers with an international presence, are free from the effects of these dynamics. This online course educates hospital executives, manufacturers, and their partners.

Andrew Van Ostrand, Vice President, Policy and Research, Health Industry Distributors Association (HIDA), Alexandria, VA

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How is Your Supply Chain Operations Functioning
AHRMM Member: $49.00 Non-Member: $59.00 CEUs: 0.125
Track: Financing Course Level: Intermediate

Supply Chain operations is one of the major influencers of whether a hospital is successful or not, regardless of size. It directly affects hospital profitability and quality of care provided. Are common supply chain operations weak points keeping your facility from maximizing its support to staff, care to patients, and management of resources? Learn what to look for from rural hospital supply chain experts to determine which common deficiencies may be affecting your facility. Take preliminary steps toward improving a facility's supply chain operations.

Beverly Slate, Associate Vice President, QHR, Brentwood, TN

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Creating and Sustaining a Lean-Cost Conscious Culture
AHRMM Member: $49.00 Non-Member: $59.00 CEUs: 0.125
Track: Finance Course Level: Intermediate

Non-labor cost management and cost reduction is a key challenge for healthcare supply chain management professionals. Through this case-study approach, the participants will gain insights into the tactics and strategies employed in a non-profit healthcare IDN to manage its non-labor spend, seek out opportunities to reduce N/L spend, and achieve lowest quartile supply costs.

James Smoker, Director, Material Resource Services, WellSpan Health, York, PA

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From Materials Manager to Supply Chain Executive
AHRMM Member: $49.00 Non-Member: $59.00 CEUs: 0.125
Track: Professional Development Course Level: Intermediate

Are you still stuck in the basement? Is materials management strictly a support/processing department instead of a strategic organizational focus? Many materials professionals feel this way. But times are changing, and for those with the right skills and performance, the opportunities to move into the executive ranks are here. Here are key strategies and actions that can lead to an executive level position in a supply chain role. They will include leadership versus management, why difference skill sets are needed and what they are, performance characteristics, and activities to engage in. Whether you are a seasoned professional ready to move up or an early careerist who wants to advance, this program will provide concrete things you can do today to prepare for and move towards tomorrow.

Dave Kaczmarek, Director, Wellspring Partners, Derry, NH

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The State of Healthcare Logistics
AHRMM Member: $49.00 Non-Member: $59.00 CEUs: 0.125
Track: Strategic Planning Course Level: Intermediate

This online course presents the results of an industry-wide survey of healthcare supply chain professionals. Respondents are grouped by type (manufacturer, distributor, GPO, provider) and size of their organization and the maturity of their supply chain. The survey focuses on:
- Readiness and progress towards data standardization
- Collaboration among supply chain partners
- Implementation and benefits of strategic initiatives
- Supply chain related expenditures
- Inventory and order management
- Supply chain performance.

Edward A. Pohl, Associate Professor, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR
Heather Nachtmann, Associate Professor, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR

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Procure-to-Pay - Best Practices in Automating the Supply Chain
AHRMM Member: $49.00 Non-Member: $59.00 CEUs: 0.125
Track: Technology Solutions Course Level: Intermediate

For many hospitals, purchasing and AP departments only interact when there is a problem with an invoice. However, a growing number of healthcare organizations automating the supply chain from the point of procurement to payment are seeing increased collaboration between purchasing and AP to improve business processes, increase productivity, and lower costs. Unfortunately, few hospitals have the information they need to adequately project the benefits of implementing ePayable solutions. Paystream Advisors, which provides independent research and automation assessments for financial automation technology, will report on the results of its recently completed ePayables research (December 2008) and then feature healthcare providers recognized as best in class in procure-to-pay practices.

Alex Zimmerman, Director, Supply Chain Information Management, ROi, Sisters of Mercy Health System, St Louis, MO
Henry Ijams, Managing Director, Paystream Advisors, Charlotte, NC

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Advanced

Materials Management and Finance Working Together
AHRMM Member: $49.00 Non-Member: $59.00 CEUs: 0.125
Track: Finance Course Level: Advanced

Athens Regional Medical Center recognized that with the expanded need for transparency being placed upon healthcare that a higher level of departmental linkage between the Materials Management and Finance was necessary. In this course the presenters will walk thru a case study, providing both the financial and supply chain perspective, of how Athens was able to achieve a major improvement in linkage between the cost of products and the price being charged. Enabling the organization to appropriately respond to inquiries from both inside and outside while maintaining financial integrity.

Dominique Bennett, Director, Financial Services, Athens Regional Medical Center, Athens, GA
Joyce Waller, Director, Material Service, Athens Regional Medical
Center, Athens, GA
Michael Neely, President and Managing Principal, Perimeter Solutions Group, LLC, Buford, GA

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Supply Chain Performance Excellence
AHRMM Member: $49.00 Non-Member: $59.00 CEUs: 0.125
Track: Clinical Resource Management Course Level: Advanced

This online course will outline the results and findings of year two of "Supply Chain Performance Excellence" collaborative study conducted by University HealthSystem Consortium. The study aimed to identify characteristics of top performing organizations and proven strategies and tactics that would be beneficial for organizations in improving organizational supply expenditures. It also focused on supply chain management as it relates to organizational success, including quality and financial performance. A unique supply chain performance metric was devised to rank all UHC organizations, and interviews were completed to identify key differentiators in supply chain performance.

William Brewer, MHA, MS, Purchasing Manager, Shands HealthCare, Gainesville, FL
Jayne Resek, Senior Director, Physician Preference Items, University HealthSystem Consortium, Oak Brook, IL

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VMI and JMI - New Paradigms in Inventory Management
AHRMM Member: $49.00 Non-Member: $59.00 CEUs: 0.125
Track: Distribution Course Level: Advanced

The increasing focus on cost of Physician Preference Items (PPI) in hospitals demands the implementation of new methods for inventory management. All participants in the PPI supply chain experience the costs of high rates of product expiration, lost product revenue, and the headaches of the current consignment based model. New technologies, such as RFID based systems, for inventory management provide both healthcare providers and their suppliers with the opportunity to explore and implement new business models for managing these PPI products. The bidirectional transparency and robustness of the information flow from these new systems supports the use of new approaches such as VMI and JMI (Jointly Managed Inventory). These intercompany operating ties will both improve product availability and substantially reduce system level costs.

David Ryan, Director, Strategic Sourcing, Supply Chain Group, Catholic Health Initiatives, Erlanger, KY
Patrick Littlefield, Chairman, WaveMark, Littleton, MA

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Vendor Managed Inventory - When and How
AHRMM Member: $49.00 Non-Member: $59.00 CEUs: 0.125
Track: Distribution Course Level: Advanced

While vendor managed inventory (VMI) programs gain greater acceptance as a lean distribution strategy in non-healthcare industries, including retail, many of today's healthcare supply chain professionals lack detailed understanding of vendor managed inventory (VMI) programs and their proper applications, benefits, and proper implementation. A Team of Strategic Marketplace Initiative members have developed a program to assist in identifying VMI opportunities and collaboratively implementing VMI programs for the benefit of all supply chain stakeholders. This session will include details about the factors critical to successfully identifying VMI opportunities. Attendees will be armed with the information required to identify and implement vendor managed inventory programs at their own organizations.

Dennis Orthman, Project Director, Strategic Marketplace Initiative West Roxbury, MA
Eric Nelson, Vice President, Cardinal Health, Integrated Provider Solutions, Dublin, OH
Sandra Erickson, Executive Director of Business Development and Integration, Iowa Health, Urbandale, IA

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PACKAGE OPTIONS

Complete Course Package

AHRMM Member: $589 Non-Member: $708 CEUs: 1.75
This package includes all 14 courses offered at a 15% discount for AHRMM Members.

Bundle of Five Courses

AHRMM Member: $220 Non-Member: $295 CEUs: 0.625
This package includes any combination of 5 courses offered at a 10% discount for AHRMM Members