December 2023- The Journal of Healthcare Contracting
This issue concludes our 20th year of publishing The Journal of Healthcare Contracting. The world has changed greatly these past two decades, but the mission of this magazine has never been more poignant.
It’s crazy to think of the seismic challenges that have been thrown at us the last two decades: natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, the financial crisis in 2008, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, global wars, social unrest and what seems like an ever-dividing political landscape.
Our healthcare industry has seen its share of challenges as well, including healthcare reform with the passing of the Affordable Care Act, industry consolidation, the evolving care setting, the growth and empowerment of payors and the emergence of many disruptors.
I can’t think of a more complex business than running an integrated health system in the best of circumstances, but when you pile all the above issues on top of the way providers are being graded and paid (more and more based off patient evaluations and outcomes) – the challenge is staggering.
And this brings me to what these past two decades have meant to our nation’s supply chain leaders. I’d contend during these unprecedented times that our corner of the world has more answered the call to supply our nation’s hospitals, facilities, and providers with what they need to give world class care.
I’ve had a front row seat to observe our nation’s most forward thinking and operating Supply Chain teams, and am always amazed at how they have evolved these past 20 years. Supplying our health systems has gone from an activity to a true discipline, from many lone soloists to finely harmonized symphonies.
One could make the argument that this growth has come from advanced technologies, progressed academia, or shared best practices, but there is no doubt in mind it is because of the people that lead and are in these supply chain teams.
For 20 years now our tagline has been Providing Insight, Understanding and Community. This has been our calling and mission so we can play our part in the continued evolution of the U.S. Healthcare Supply Chain. It has been an honor to cover the great people in our nation’s health systems supplying their communities enabling world class care. And this is all enabled by all the readers of The Journal of Healthcare Contracting, so a heartfelt thank you for reading this magazine so we can play our part!
Cheers! Here is to the next 20 years!