19 MARCH 2026to manage risk while safely bringing advanced, integrated technologies into our organization. Leading With Value, Not Just CostThere's no question that cost reduction and margin improvement matter and they will always be part of our mandate. But the real difference in a strong Sourcing and Value Analysis team is how you define value. If you look only at acquisition cost, you miss the bigger picture. Our approach measures value across the entire care pathway, taking into account patient experience, clinician usability and clinical outcomes.We ask what outcomes we expect to offset the cost and how we will measure them after implementation to confirm the return. Every decision is grounded in a clear understanding of impact and always with our patients in mind. Building a Supply Chain That Can Withstand AnythingThe disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic reinforced the need to be intentional about long-term resiliency. We've built strategic supply reserves, keeping 60 to 120 days of inventory on high-risk or historically problematic items. In every bid, we request detailed data on manufacturing locations and each supplier's contingency plans.We've also strengthened our external partnerships. Through our GPO's reserve programs, we secure allocated inventory based on our historic demand. And by joining the Healthcare Industry Resiliency Consortium, we're aligning with suppliers and providers who share a patient-centered approach to supply chain transparency and standards. These steps ensure we're better prepared for whatever comes next. WE DELIVER VALUE NOT JUST THROUGH SAVINGS, BUT ALSO THROUGH OUTCOMES THAT SUPPORT CLINICIANS, PROTECT PATIENTS AND KEEP OUR ORGANIZATION READY FOR WHATEVER COMES NEXT.Using Technology to Shift Sourcing from Tactical to Truly StrategicWe use a mix of internal and external analytics platforms and while these tools are essential, they're not new. Our focus is now on applications that shorten project timelines and automate manual workloads. In an environment where everyone is expected to do more with less, we need technology that handles the tactical work, allowing our team to stay strategic.AI-driven tools can automate RFP analysis, monitor price accuracy in real time, flag utilization shifts through automated spend reviews and support contract compliance and rebate forecasting. The opportunity is enormous. The more we can offload repetitive tasks, the more bandwidth we have for work that actually moves the organization forward, such as strategy, conversions, trials and negotiations. Lead Through Relationships and a Commitment to ValueSuccess in this field starts with relationships. Your coworkers and stakeholders need to trust that when they come to you with a project, you'll deliver results that support both their work and the organization's goals. Healthcare is complex and can be siloed and without strong relationships across departments, even the best projects can stall.At the end of the day, our role is about delivering value to clinicians, the organization and ultimately to patients by ensuring access to the highest-quality products at the lowest total cost. After 15 years in this field, I can say there is nothing dull about this work. The impact of a high-performing strategic sourcing team is now a critical differentiator in healthcare--distinguishing organizations that are driving high-quality and value-based patient care strategically from those that may be stalling when facing a rapidly changing landscape of technologies and services.
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