VHA looks at supply chain role of the future
Supply chain leaders learned about the supply-chain implications of bundled payments, accountable care organizations and healthcare reform at VHA’s recent Leadership Conference in San Diego. Those attending engaged in discussions about comparative effectiveness research, the importance of supply chain strategic plans, the implications of reprocessing on sustainability and cost reduction efforts, physician collaboration, supply chain revenue cycle considerations, and the benefits of benchmarking and collaborative supply networks.
Supply chain professionals had the option of attending more than 20 sessions on three strategic areas – leadership, cost reduction, and physician preference management, according to VHA executives. Speakers included Dr. Robert Ballard, co-discoverer of the sunken Titanic, and NASA veterans Gene Kranz and Jim Lovell.
Other speakers included:
- Michael Bleich, RN, BSN, MPH, PhD, fellow, American Academy of Nursing, dean, School of Nursing; and Dr. Carol A. Linderman, Distinguished Professor of Nursing at Oregon Health and Sciences University.
- Dr. Lawton R. Burns, PhD, MBA, professor of health care management, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and the James Joo-Jim Kim Professor and Chair of the Health Care Management Department at the Wharton School.
- Robert Corrato, MD, MBA, president and chief executive officer, Executive Health Resources (EHR). Prior to founding EHR, Corrato was deputy director of the Office of Health Policy and Clinical Outcomes at Thomas Jefferson University.
- Darryl S. Rich, PharmD, MBA, surveyor, the Joint Commission, and formerly director of pharmacy services at Boston University Medical Center and clinical assistant professor of pharmacy at Northeastern University
Hospital executives attending were offered the chance to tour the site of Palomar Medical Center West, a hospital in construction whose design and technology were the result of input from more than 2,000 staff members. Those ideas – including acuity-adaptable patient rooms, and floors built to support team-based care with no nursing stations – will be fully implemented when the facility opens in 2012.
Marketplace
VHA’s supply contracting company, Novation, provided documented savings of more than $107 million through June 2011, leaders reported. Novation benchmarks pricing across more than $60 billion in spending and more than 1,500 hospitals, they said.
At the conference, VHA announced its soon-to-be-launched Web tool, Marketplace. The site, based on business-to-consumer technologies, is said to combine a variety of information tools and platforms with Novation’s contract catalog, now called Marketplace Procure. It was designed to offer members easier, faster and consolidated access to information. Contract and product detail pages include such information as pricing, product attributes, product images, spend analytics, alerts on upcoming expirations, drug shortages and new price advantage opportunities.
Supply chain awards
Eight healthcare organizations were recognized for their work to improve operational efficiency and cut costs from the supply chain, while maintaining quality of care. They demonstrated high levels of performance in at least one of four areas: 1) sourcing and resource management, 2) distribution, logistics and inventory management, 3) supply chain innovation and creativity, and 4) supplier diversity.
The 2011 winners were:
- WakeMed, Raleigh, N.C.
- Community Hospital, McCook, Neb.
- Providence Health & Services, Portland, Ore.
- CoxHealth, Springfield, Mo.
- Covenant Health, Knoxville, Tenn.
- St. Luke’s Health System, Boise, Idaho.
- The Chester County Hospital Foundation Inc., West Chester, Pa.
- The Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
Suppliers recognized
Six suppliers were recognized for exemplary support and participation in VHA program initiatives:
- APP Pharmaceuticals, Schaumburg, Ill., which was awarded the 2011 NOVAPLUS® Pharmacy Supplier of the Year Award, in part for its efforts to provide members access to critical drugs affected by market-wide shortages.
- Baxter Healthcare, Deerfield, Ill., named the 2011 Environmental Excellence Supplier of the Year, based on energy and waste conservation, manufacturing principles and corporate sustainability programs.
- Medline Industries, Mundelein, Ill., which earned 2011 Standardization Program Participation Award.
- Pitt Plastics, Pittsburg, Kan., named 2011 NOVAPLUS Non-Pharmacy Supplier of the Year for its outstanding year-over-year growth, collaboration, customer service, issue resolution and product quality.
- SPS Medical Supply, Rush, N.Y., which received the 2011 Diversity Supplier Award for the dedication and experience of its staff in serving the needs of members.
- Stryker, Kalamazoo, Mich., named the 2011 Standardization Optimization Excellence Award winner for excellence in service and operational performance to standardization program participants.
Clinical excellence awards
Twenty-eight hospitals were recognized for meeting or exceeding national performance standards for clinical care and efforts to improve the patient experience. They were:
Bed size greater than 250
- Presbyterian Hospital, Charlotte, N.C.
- Doctors Hospital, Coral Gables, Fla.
- Forsyth Medical Center, Winston Salem, N.C.
- Parkwest Medical Center, Knoxville, Tenn.
- Mayo Clinic’s campus in Florida.
- The Brigham & Women’s Hospital Inc., Boston, Mass.
- North Mississippi Medical Center, Tupelo, Miss.
- Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Bed size less than 250
- Baylor Jack & Jane Hamilton Heart & Vascular Hospital, Dallas, Texas.
- The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano, Plano, Texas.
- Mariners Hospital, Tavernier, Pa.
- Community Memorial Hospital, Hamilton, N.Y.
- Zeeland (Mich.) Community Hospital.
- Oaklawn Hospital, Marshall, Mich.
- Sutter Davis Hospital, Davis, Calif.
- Rowan Regional Medical Center, Salisbury, N.C.
- Schneck Medical Center, Seymour, Ind.
- Missouri Baptist Hospital of Sullivan, Sullivan, Mo.
Critical access hospitals
- Millinocket (Maine) Regional Hospital.
- Essentia Health, Fosston, Minn.
- Monadnock Community Hospital, Petersborough, N.H.
- Redington-Fairview General Hospital, Skowhegan, Maine.
- River Falls (Wis.) Area Hospital.
- Red Cedar Medical Center – Mayo Health System, Menomonie, Wis.
- Gunnison (Colo.) Valley Hospital.
- Tipton (Ind.) Hospital.
- Waldo County General Hospital, Belfast, Maine.
- Houlton (Maine) Regional Hospital.
Sustainability excellence awards
Thirteen healthcare organizations were recognized for their work to develop and implement outstanding sustainability programs, including recycling and reuse efforts, and building LEED-certified parking structures with outlets to charge electric cars. They were:
- Abington (Pa.) Memorial Hospital.
- Beatrice (Neb.) Community Hospital and Health Center.
- Boulder (Colo.) Community Hospital.
- Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Northampton, Mass.
- Hallmark Health System, Inc., Medford, Mass.
- Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
- New York (N.Y.) Presbyterian Hospital.
- Northern Michigan Regional Hospital, Petoskey, Mich.
- Providence Health & Services – Oregon Region, Portland, Ore.
- Rockingham Memorial Hospital, Harrisonburg, Va.
- San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center, Alamosa, Colo.
- Spectrum Health, Grand Rapids, Mich.
- Tuality Healthcare, Hillsboro, Ore.
Community benefit awards
Two organizations were recognized for extending their caring missions into the communities they serve:
- BJC Healthcare, St. Louis.
- NorthShore University Health System, Evanston, Ill.