In late 2023, Gartner ranked the top 25 health system supply chains. One California system jumped nine spots, from No. 25 to No. 16, in one year.
Timothy Miller, vice president of supply chain shared services at Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Health, told Becker's the success is because of his team's steadfast commitment to operational excellence and investing in diverse suppliers.
The 22-hospital system is part of the Healthcare Anchor Network, a network of about 60 health systems intentionally addressing economic and racial inequities in their respective communities. For Sutter, this appears in the supply chain through refining its supplier diversity program, which works to increase spend with minority- and women-owned supply companies.
"First and foremost, we have to continue to provide value to our organization and our local communities," Mr. Miller said. "Making healthcare more affordable while providing the goods and services our patients need is our highest priority."
A project eating up his time is sustainability, which includes replacing physician mail with digital mail for Sutter's workforce of more than 51,000.
Looking ahead to the rest of 2024, Mr. Miller said he's closely watching disruptions, exploring the use of drones and further engaging clinicians into his department's processes.
"Continued development of clinical technology assessment committees, which are physician-led decision-making bodies around clinical technology, is also a big emphasis for us," Mr. Miller said.