February 2, 2021 – Premier Inc. (Charlotte, NC) announced that Susan DeVore is retiring as the company’s CEO and a member of its board of directors, effective May 1, 2021.
Michael J. Alkire, president of Premier, will succeed DeVore and serve as president, CEO, and a member of the Board, also effective May 1, 2021.
DeVore will remain with Premier through June 30, 2021, and will continue as an advisor to the company for two years after that in order to ensure a smooth transition.
DeVore commented, “It has been a privilege to lead Premier these past 12 years. We have built a strong organization, delivering critical solutions to thousands of hospitals, health systems and other healthcare providers that enable better care, improved outcomes and lower costs for patients across the United States. I am incredibly proud of all we have accomplished together, and believe that now is the right time for Premier to transition to its next generation of leadership. Mike’s expertise and deep understanding of Premier’s strategy, operations, values and people make him the right leader. I thank every employee of the company for their help positioning Premier for success and driving important innovations to improve healthcare.”
Alkire, who joined Premier in 2003, is a seasoned healthcare executive with nearly 30 years of operational, technology and business development leadership experience. He was named COO in 2013 and president in 2019.
As president, he leads the continued advancement of Premier’s strategy to support members in providing higher quality healthcare at lower costs through the company’s clinical, financial, supply chain and operational performance improvement offerings.
Under Alkire’s leadership, the company says it has produced significant financial growth since its IPO, expanded member purchasing volume through its GPO portfolio from $40 billion in 2012 to $67 billion, and strengthened its member relationships resulting in consistently high retention and renewal rates.
In his role as president, Alkire also leads the evolution of Premier’s Performance Services business, which combines artificial intelligence (AI)-driven technology, data and actionable insights with wraparound implementation services to improve health outcomes and reduce total costs.
With his broad technology experience, he has led the implementation of machine learning and AI into Premier’s clinical decision support platform to streamline the prior authorization process for payors, improve health system performance, provide real-world evidence capabilities to life sciences companies, and support the alignment of health systems with employers.
In 2010, Alkire helmed the launch of Premier’s direct sourcing business, and through the continued growth and geographic diversification of this business, combined with Premier’s co-investment with member health systems in two domestic personal protective equipment manufacturers, the company is helping create a more resilient healthcare supply chain.