December 16, 2022 – Margaret Steele is the Senior Vice President, Med/Surg, Lab and Blood, GPO Services & Delivery at Vizient. Read an excerpt from The Journal of Healthcare Contracting’s “Women Leaders in Supply Chain” below.
Please tell us about your role/responsibilities within your organization.
I lead the Vizient medical, surgical, lab and distribution teams as well as a product standardization program, which helps our members recognize maximum value in exchange for commitment. Our team facilitates multiple Vizient member councils that support these areas as well. I also have the honor to serve as the network champion for Vizient’s employee networking group, Dimensions, which promotes workplace awareness around the multitude of identities people have to engender a more inclusive environment.
In what ways has the supply chain changed for the better over the last 2-3 years?
Provider and supplier executives are more in tune with the importance of supply chain resiliency and the impact of supply disruption – specifically that last mile. We are starting to see more providers look for local suppliers to provide some insulation against the current transportation and labor challenges. Additionally, the last two years have sparked innovation to try to solve some of the most challenging issues. For example, we are seeing re-engineered products from manufacturers that reduce the use of raw materials, increased automation to mitigate labor force issues, recognition of the importance of a digital supply chain for end-to-end transparency and efficiency, and collaboration with governmental agencies to better understand the impact and importance of keeping the healthcare supply chain flowing.
To see the rest of our Women Leaders in Supply Chain list, click here.