My picks for the top supply chain stories of 2018:
Continued involvement of supply chain in non-acute settings. For supply chain veterans, it’s a matter of teaching old dogs new tricks. For the young people, it’ll be business as usual.
Health systems channel their clinical knowledge and expertise (and money) to develop innovative technologies and to commercialize them. Big question: What is supply chain’s role?
The supply chain management degree. Here’s how we began our story on the topic: “It’s 10 years hence. 2028. You’ve got an opening in supply chain, and you’ve narrowed it down to two candidates. One has a degree in business, the other in supply chain management. Which one do you choose?”
The newest headache: Cybersecurity. Some believe that bad actors may begin targeting electronic medical devices. How will we fight that? And what is supply chain’s role?
H3N2. This influenza strain affected many in 2017-2018, and treating them proved to be a challenge for supply chain departments and their suppliers.
Progress in healthcare-acquired conditions. Good news for a change: The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reports that overall harms decreased in several categories, such as infections and adverse drug events, from 2014 to 2016.
Good people… like these:
Contracting Professional of the Year
- Chris Torres, Main Line Health
Ten People to Watch in Healthcare Contracting:
- Lynn Cook, HealthTrust Supply Chain
- Mark French, Ochsner Health
- Carl Gustafson, Marshfield Clinic.
- Chris Johnson, Wellforce.
- Jonathan Kepley, Wake Forest
- Jennifer McPherren, Northwestern
- Dennis Mullins, Indiana University
- Steve Pohlman, Cleveland Clinic
- Kate Polczynski, Geisinger
- Lisa Thakur, Scripps Health
Future Supply Chain Leaders
- Sterling Borders, Med Center Health
- Derek Havens, HonorHealth
- Tyler Loeb, Jefferson Health
- Matt McGraw, OSF
- Josh Plauny, VCU Health
- Bruce Radcliff, Advocate Aurora
- Matt Roberts, HealthTrust
Women Leaders in Supply Chain
- Jocelyn Bradshaw, HealthTrust
- Daria Byrne, Intalere
- Lisa Fohey, Advocate Aurora
- Tracy Griffin, Cone Health
- Cecile Hozouri, Scripps Health
- Neeta Moonka, Virginia Mason
- Brenda Peterson, Vizient
- Elaine Prince, Encompass Health
- Lisa Scannell, Partners
Happy new year.