IDN OPPORTUNITIES
How Well Do You Know Your Customers? Part III Editor’s note: Do you know what your IDN customers’ priorities are? Do you, your products and services meet their needs today? How about tomorrow? In the past two issues, Repertoire has offered readers a “crash course” in health system supply chain by presenting a few highlights from the 2019 “Ten People to Watch in Healthcare Contracting,” an annual feature in Repertoire’s sister publication, the Journal of Healthcare Contracting. Here are notes on the final Ten.
John Thompson Position: Senior Vice President, Sourcing Operations, Vizient Inc., Irving, Texas
next-generation ideas grounded in historical knowledge. That approach and their coaching have helped me look for opportunities to more effectively engage internal and external stakeholders as the company and the industry have evolved. … I have also become a better listener, which has helped me understand how our stakeholders define value and has reshaped how I partner with them to achieve their goals.”
In the past two years: “I have been working with certain segments of the Vizient sourcing and consulting teams, such as purchased services and food, [to offer] contracts on the business side of care that can lower costs, and subject matter experts with data, insights and expertise to help with implementation, so that savings are realized and sustained.” On the docket: “One of our bigger projects is building out our human resources and workforce solutions verticals. Vizient has a comprehensive offering of solutions, such as insurance products and employee benefits, contract labor and labor consulting/utilization.” Thoughts about the supply chain management profession “I have been fortunate to have had some extraordinary leaders and mentors who have helped me understand that success in the healthcare supply chain requires a consistent focus on 42
April 2020
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I have been fortunate to have had some extraordinary leaders and mentors who have helped me understand that success in the healthcare supply chain requires a consistent focus on next-generation ideas grounded in historical knowledge.
Future challenge for the profession: “It is critical that supply chain professionals coming into this industry understand how and why decisions are made in their organization, what data is required, who needs to be included in the process, and how to effectively communicate across the organization when decisions affecting supplies and products are made. I encourage supply chain professionals at every level to take advantage of the educational opportunities offered by various organizations to increase understanding of not just the latest technology, but also the strategies that are required to successfully lead change.”
