October 3, 2022 – In the first part of the Top 5 Non-Acute Supply Chain Leaders, a series sponsored by McKesson, we’re taking a look at how St. Elizabeth Physicians supports its non-acute sites by partnering with key suppliers and distributors.
The role of non-acute supply chain leaders has changed and expanded during the pandemic. As demand for quality products increased and supply chains became strained, supply chain leaders were pushed into a central business role in the organization, putting more focus on supplier and distributor relationships. Now that health care is starting to resemble some level of normalcy, Health Systems continue to consolidate through acquisition, expand their non-acute networks and become more diverse in their offerings, and therefore their needs.
The integration of new facilities always presents the challenge of how to standardize materials management and purchasing systems. But St. Elizabeth Physicians in the Greater Cincinnati region is a prime example of what successfully integrating a non-acute supply chain can bring to a health system.
St. Elizabeth is the multispecialty physician organization of St. Elizabeth Healthcare. Its supplier management program measures key metrics such as performance, savings and quality improvement goals, and its expectations in these have risen during the pandemic.
“We’ve set up our health system for success by researching and anticipating shifts in the supplier market, and developing action plans based on predicted market changes,” said Thomas Mullins, purchasing manager of St. Elizabeth Physicians. “My role has continued to expand for our non-acute sites, developing strategies to achieve sustainable relationships with our suppliers and ensuring achievement of our organizational goals through strategic development planning.”