Kevin Keller
Kevin Keller
- Director of materials management, Crystal Run Health
- Crystal Run Health consists of more than 400 providers across 50+ medical specialties; 35 non-acute multi-specialty facilities located throughout four counties, as well as Manhattan, NYC and Northern New Jersey. Over $60 million in annual purchase order spend.
When Kevin Keller joined Crystal Run Healthcare in January 2011, he brought with him 15 years of experience in hospital supply chain, purchasing and materials management. Today, he oversees purchasing, value analysis, contract management, distribution, linen, mailroom and vendor/supplier relations.
The Journal of Healthcare Contracting: What has been the most challenging and rewarding project you have been involved in recently?
Kevin Keller: As we continue to be challenged to provide more value to our organizations, I have looked to our GPO as a strategic partner in accomplishing this. I have been involved in the creation of a strategic collaborative, and I sit on the leadership council of the Intalere Eastern Alliance. What began as a strategic collaborative of Eastern acute and non-acute organizations, is now rapidly growing not only throughout the East, but elsewhere – proof that this is more than just a group of organizations negotiating meaningless contracts. We use real data from all member organizations to drive the contract categories and opportunities. We work together as a team, with no personal agendas, and we respect each other’s individual challenge. And, we utilize our combined purchase volumes to maximize the value we can bring to each of our organizations. I feel this approach will be more and more critical in the coming years, as the days of trying to go it alone are long gone. If we are to succeed as true supply chain professionals, we will need to tap into the experience of like-minded peers, as well as work together to provide true value to our organizations, while working to reduce the cost of healthcare. I sincerely believe this strategic collaborative is – and will be – one of the most important tools available to all of us.
JHC: Please describe a project you look forward to implementing in the next year or two.
Keller: We recently completed a supply chain assessment, which went deeper than any I have seen in my 20+ years working in healthcare supply chain. The results proved to be very interesting: There were many things we learned we excelled at, while at the same time many areas needed much improvement. I am excited to begin implementing these recommendations and best practices, so that we may continue to provide the best possible value, including high quality products and services to our clinicians, enabling them so to continue to keep our patient population healthy.
JHC: What are the most important qualities you look for in a supplier partner?
Keller: We look for a supplier that shares our core values and is willing to work together, in order that we both benefit. We cannot continue to expect our suppliers simply to continue cutting prices. We need them to understand our organizations and be as vested in our success as we are.
JHC: What is the greatest change we can expect to see in healthcare contracting in the next five years?
Keller: Supply chains will need to be more strategic to ensure [our programs] align fully with our mission to maintain best price, best quality, and provide the best possible patient outcomes.