Senior Systemwide Director of Supply Chain and Strategic Sourcing
Cone Health
Greensboro, North Carolina
Comments from nominator Tim Nedley, vice president, materials management, UPMC:
“Tracy and I worked together at Owens & Minor from 2000 to 2005, and she was later one of my customers when she moved to Cone. She is quietly one of the most forward-thinking supply chain leaders I know. Currently, Tracy has responsibility for all strategic sourcing and logistics, including a 53,000-square-foot distribution center that supplies the six Cone hospitals, several surgery centers, three urgent care centers and over 150 physician practices.”
Cone Health at a glance: Six hospitals, several surgery centers, three urgent care centers, more than 150 physician practices
- Year joined Cone Health: October 2005
- Born/raised: Henderson, North Carolina
- Degree(s): Business/eBusiness degree, University of Phoenix
- First “real” job out of school: Receptionist for human resources and purchasing for Maria Parham Hospital in Henderson, North Carolina, out of high school while attending Vance Granville Community College at night.
Some prior work highlights:
- Worked for a cardiologist practice learning about coding, billing and reimbursement, and fostered interaction with physicians and surgeons.
- Created vision for an offsite distribution center to support not only five acute care hospitals, but also 150 physician practices, urgent care centers and other facilities. This allowed for cost savings and bulk purchases.
- Created a Leadership Team focused on quality outcomes and looking at savings through a different lens. Example: First in the nation to implement a therapeutic linen as part of daily inpatient care, lowering length of stay, reducing wound ulcers, and resulting in savings.
A key mentor or event in your life: There are a couple of key events/mentors that shaped my focus on quality healthcare products, processes and cost. The first was my personal experience growing up with my mom, having multiple sclerosis, and seeing the lack of standardized products and processes of care – as well as the wide variation in cost. At age 11, I knew I would be in some field of healthcare. I had a knack for numbers, and analytics, so I began learning and exploring as much as I could about data programs, optimization and efficiency.
One of my bosses – Barry Cunningham – had a huge impact on me. He called me into his office one day and said, “You are very smart and could really excel, but you need to get out of your own way. You need to show up believing in yourself and the capabilities you have. Set yourself apart. Come in dressed and ready for the position you desire.” So I began to interact as an operations manager over the distribution and office functions, which was a springboard into an ever-growing role in healthcare.