Sponsored – Henry Schein
By aligning internal teams, leveraging data and working closely with Henry Schein, TriHealth has transformed a traditional distributor relationship into a strategic partnership.
TriHealth serves Southwest Ohio and operates one of the largest ambulatory networks in the region. The health system’s care model is centered on bringing services closer to where patients live, reducing the need for patients to travel to its flagship locations — Good Samaritan Hospital in downtown Cincinnati and Bethesda North in Montgomery.
Over the past decade, TriHealth has accomplished that by expanding its ambulatory footprint to include 14 large ambulatory centers, along with numerous physician clinics. Through acquisitions and expanded service lines, the organization has also developed leading programs in areas such as cardiovascular care and oncology.
From a supply chain perspective, that growth has created significant complexity, including logistics challenges and a wide range of ordering points, said Harold Dillow, Vice President of Supply Chain Management at TriHealth.
“Short of having an army of people visiting every clinic, which is not our model, we needed a partner who could help us get the right products to the right locations,” Dillow said. “That’s where the expanded partnership with Henry Schein became so valuable.”
As part of The Journal of Healthcare Contracting podcast series, sponsored by Henry Schein, Dillow and Todd Krehmeyer, Strategic Account Manager with Henry Schein Medical, discussed how their partnership is helping TriHealth streamline supply chain operations and support its growing ambulatory network. The following were several insights.
Navigating Supply Chain Disruptions
In today’s healthcare environment, supply chain resilience depends on strong, collaborative partnerships. For Dillow, having a consistent distribution partner has been critical in helping TriHealth navigate disruptions ranging from COVID-era shortages to cybersecurity challenges and the IV fluid crisis. “Having a partner like Henry Schein during COVID was extremely valuable because they were able to help us secure products that other vendors simply could not provide,” he said.
Moving Beyond a Transactional Relationship
A true partnership goes beyond transactions — it requires communication, trust and a deep understanding of a customer’s needs. “You have to build a relationship with the customer and have open discussions to truly understand what their needs are,” Krehmeyer said. “Without that relationship, the listening component often disappears.”
By maintaining open conversations, TriHealth can share its challenges and priorities, allowing Henry Schein to respond quickly, identify opportunities and provide support that extends beyond simply supplying products.
Breaking Down Internal Silos
Building a partnership across multiple supply chain categories required TriHealth to first create internal alignment. Dillow said gaining trust from teams responsible for areas such as med-surg, pharmacy and lab was a critical step in demonstrating how supply chain could support their goals while allowing clinical teams to focus on patient care.
“We had to demonstrate that supply chain at TriHealth was capable of supporting these areas effectively,” he said. To strengthen the partnership, TriHealth dedicated key team members to manage these categories and serve as a central connection with Henry Schein. Together, they developed an approach in which Henry Schein became an extension of TriHealth’s supply chain team, supporting clinic visits, staff communication and training during a new ordering system implementation.
Krehmeyer said Henry Schein has continued to invest resources to support TriHealth’s evolving needs, including specialists in areas such as lab, equipment and surgery, along with field supply consultants who work directly with clinics. “With hundreds of clinics, there is no way TriHealth’s internal procurement team could capture every need, every day,” he said. These resources help extend TriHealth’s reach while ensuring teams across the organization have the support they need.
Creating Efficiency Through Standardization
TriHealth’s approach to standardization began with understanding the unique needs of its ambulatory network. Dillow said the organization focused first on low-unit-measure ordering, using Henry Schein’s platform to create templates for different clinical areas.
“Those templates allow staff to order approved products from our contracted formulary, helping ensure they receive the right items while reducing unnecessary variation,” he said. Data insights also help TriHealth evaluate utilization and identify opportunities for greater efficiency.
Advice for Building True Partnerships
For healthcare organizations looking to move beyond transactional vendor relationships, Dillow said the foundation is built on trust, communication and a shared vision. He emphasized the importance of developing personal connections, sharing organizational goals and helping partners understand the broader objectives they are working to achieve.
Krehmeyer agreed that strong partnerships require ongoing dialogue, including face-to-face meetings and customer business reviews that go beyond reviewing metrics. These conversations provide opportunities to ask questions, listen and identify ways to support each other’s goals.
Dillow added that vendors should approach relationships with a service mindset rather than simply focusing on selling products. He said the strongest partners are those who understand challenges, provide solutions and hold each other accountable. He pointed to TriHealth’s recent ambulatory distribution RFP process as an example of how transparency and healthy competition can strengthen a relationship.
“Don’t just show up every time trying to sell something new. The best partners show up asking, ‘How can we help?’” Dillow said.
Ready to Strengthen Your Supply Chain Strategy?
Henry Schein ALIGN helps health systems turn supply chain complexity into greater efficiency, visibility, and value. Through a collaborative approach that brings together strategic support, data-driven insights and solutions tailored to your organization, Henry Schein Medical can help you identify opportunities to standardize, optimize, operations and support care across your network.
Learn how Henry Schein ALIGN can help your organization build a more connected, resilient supply chain at henryschein.com/Align.