Senior Director, Performance Group and Value Analysis, Premier, Inc.
December 2023- The Journal of Healthcare Contracting
Please tell us about your role/responsibilities within your organization
As Premier’s Senior Director of Clinical Value Analysis, my primary responsibility is to support our members in selecting high-quality products and services based on the best value they bring to an organization and its patients. I lead and facilitate our National Value Analysis Committee, Kiindo™ Pediatric Value Analysis committee, and use value analysis to support the clinical process within the Premier’s Performance Groups, including the committed SURPASS® and AscenDrive™ programs.
I utilize an ongoing Value Analysis process to identify and articulate market requirements that define a product category’s attributes for all medical and surgical product categories across our national portfolio. As a clinical expert, I understand and have medical expertise to analyze current and future market technology trends while prioritizing a healthcare facility’s clinical needs.
Using our Value Analysis program and process, I work with both members and suppliers to identify and develop strategies to introduce new technology and improve product utilization – considering care delivery, safety and outcomes as well as total cost.
In what ways has the market changed that makes supply chain more important to hospitals and health systems?
In a post pandemic world, I believe Value Analysis has found renewed purpose. Ongoing Supply Chain disruptions, cost pressures and an evolving reimbursement environment have more organizations turning to process improvement and lean strategies for ways to find savings, while simultaneously driving supply chain resiliency and strong clinical outcomes.
During my career, I have had many opportunities to lead from the front, middle and the back. I continue to cherish these opportunities and look for ways we can continue to share knowledge, expertise and insights across our industry for the benefit of all.
I have worked with IDNs across the country to plan, implement and evaluate their structure and Value Analysis programs and processes. And these processes have evolved and matured – innovative Supply Chain teams today are purchasing products and services at the right time and the right price, based on the total value of care delivery.
For example, and working closely with our Value Analysis committees, we developed a priority rate for products and categories that are determined to be critical to operations for patient care. This vital member feedback coupled with robust data informs Premier’s product watch list – to provide insights on backorders and potential shortages, and advocate for prioritization of critical products. This list is shared with our members as well as the White House, FDA and other government supply chain stakeholders for their reference and to help prevent product disruptions in healthcare. I also recently engaged with a team of industry experts who published the Premier 2023 Supply Chain Resiliency Guide that offers market-informed strategies to address supply chain challenges, mitigate risks to patient safety, and enable long-term success for providers.
What are some of the biggest challenges facing supply chain teams today?
Today, clinicians and Supply Chain leaders must work more closely across departmental lines to understand broader impact and reduce siloed decision making. And Value Analysis professionals should have a seat at the table.
During times of product disruption, product conversions and for every-day, high-quality patient care, the ability for supply chain to get clinical expertise and perspective, especially in specialized categories, is vital. This can really speed up the process for organizations and create efficiencies – and it engenders trust between Supply Chain and clinicians as well as other key departments throughout an organization.
An evidence-based Value Analysis process can balance issues related to quality, safety, revenue enhancement, and reimbursement optimization across the care continuum. It can drive appropriate utilization and standardization, price optimization and savings, and waste reduction without sacrificing quality.
When you hear words like diversity and equity in the workplace, what does that mean to you? How can prioritizing these values contribute to the success of an organization?
When we approach work and life with a diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging mindset, it helps make us as individuals, and collectively, more resilient – and it helps spur innovation.
I am a big believer in the “wisdom of the crowd” – and to accomplish this, we must invite everyone to the table and give space for everyone to have a voice and share their perspectives.
Our mission is to improve the health of communities and enhance the delivery of patient care. Building a diverse workforce is vital to fulfilling that mission. Diversity of ideas and input is crucial for healthcare to thrive today and for the future.
What is a recent project or initiative you’ve been excited to work on?
The development and financial support of the Niven Education Advancement Scholarship through the Association of Healthcare Value Analysis Professionals (AHVAP) is a true example of my personal and professional commitment to lifelong learning. I’m thrilled and honored to see this scholarship come to fruition to encourage and support students in our value analysis field.
I have also recently completed the two current AHVAP micro-certifications: TeamSTEPPS and Medical Device Value Analysis Safety Specialist. I maintain my CVAHP Certification and serve on the organization’s national Board of Directors, which is charged with promoting board certification across our specialty.
I am constantly seeking to learn, develop myself, and grow those around me. My current professional goal is to complete my requirements to be eligible to become a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, so that we can advance our specialty with this critical stakeholder group at the C-Suite level.
How do you focus on your growth as a leader?
My career and expertise have led me to continuously leverage my clinical experience, value analysis knowledge, understanding of clinical and operational data, and establish relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders. These skills empower me to remain constantly curious and always learning – and to continue to support other value analysis professionals in implementing progressive improvements across the entire healthcare continuum.
Each interaction, every collaborative effort, and the shared expertise collectively contribute to the ongoing enhancement of healthcare value analysis. With deep appreciation and a sense of purpose, I’m committed to the relentless pursuit of progress, both in my own professional journey and in the advancement of the broader healthcare industry.