MHA Society for Purchasing & Materiel Managers

UMMC Supply Chain Leaders to Present at World Health Congress

Rachel Harkness, Senior Data Analyst, and Ed Smith, Executive Director, of the University of Mississippi Medical Center will present at the World Health Congress Summit in January of 2010, on two different topics. Rachel is recognized as a pioneer in the new global data standardization effort (GS1). Her participation in this global effort is positioning the UMMC to be a forerunner when the new data standards are mandated after 2012.

 Legislators in the U.S. Congress have focused their attention on the impact that Group Purchasing Organizations (GPO) have on the cost of healthcare. UMMC has received national recognition for it's effective use of GPO solutions and contracts through it's affiliation with The University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) and Novation.

Mr. Smith has been asked to present an overview of UMMC's successes and the benefits of accessing the full portfolio of GPO solutions.

Report outlines opportunities for supply chain leaders

The Association for Healthcare Resource & Materials Management, an American Hospital Association personal membership group, on Oct. 7 released a report outlining various strategic opportunities and challenges confronting leaders in their field.

“The overwhelming message throughout the report is opportunity,” said AHRMM President Jay Kirkpatrick. “With the current economy, supply chain executives have the opportunity to step up and play a strategic role.”

The report is based on a Thought Leaders roundtable hosted by AHRMM in July.

Annual meeting set for November

The annual meeting of the MHA Society for Hospital Purchasing & Materiel Managers is set for Nov. 12-13 at the River Room Conference Center in Flowood. Liz Jazwiec is the keynote speaker and will cover workplace negativity and introduce effective tools to manage morale, eliminate victim thinking, and have fun! There will also be educational sessions on disaster preparedness, recovery audit contractors (RAC), credentialing, OSHA, Medicaid, and certification.

A brochure (with a registration form included) is attached below. To register or for more information, contact Diane Clift at (800) 289-8884, (601) 368-3217 or dclift@mhanet.org. You may also register online.

Download Brochure_annualmtg

Overspending millions on purchases based on physician preference?

ECRI Institute, a non-profit patient care research organization, has released a report criticizing the millions of dollars spent on physician preference items, medical supplies ordered primarily because they are preferred by the medical staff. "In order to attain the savings associated with acquisition of physician preference items, hospital leaders need to win the cooperation of the physicians through an evidence-based, value-focused process," said said ECRI COO Anthony Montagnolo in a statement.

Learn more here.

MHA's 9th Annual Societies Conference

 

The MHA 9th Annual Societies Conference on the Mississippi Gulf Coast was a tremendous success with all of our societies represented and 13 sponsors participating. Our speakers included Liz Jazwiec, a nationally recognized speaker on customer service and employee satisfaction, Paul Mellor who improved all our members’ memories and Barbara Prichard who shared what to expect from Joint Commission in 2009. Our first ever “speed dating” with sponsors was a hit with members and sponsors and included prizes galore!

Mark your calendars for next year’s societies conference: April 28 & 29, 2010 at the Embassy Suites in Ridgeland, MS! (See all of the pictures from this year's conference here. See all of the pictures from the Maggie Awards Dinner here.)

MHA's 2009 Societies Conference

 

Join us for MHA's annual Societies Conference April 9-10, 2009, at the Courtyard Marriott in Gulfport. Please remember that this is your Spring Society Meeting and we want you there! For more details, see the brochure attached below or go to www.mhafoundation.org and click the Education Calendar.

Call the Courtyard Marriott in Gulfport and make your hotel reservation today at (228) 864 4310. If you have any questions regarding the conference, contact Judith Forshee, VP of Education and Support Services, at (800) 289-8884, (601) 368-3216 or jforshee@mhanet.org.

Download 2009 Societies Brochure and Registration

AHA: Medical device ID system would facilitate safe, efficient care

The American Hospital Association and its Association for Healthcare Resource & Materials Management affiliate on Feb. 27 voiced support for a standardized system to uniquely identify medical devices. In comments submitted to the Food and Drug Administration, the associations said they support the expeditious development of a mandatory unique identification system that is overseen by the FDA, based on existing classification systems and globally harmonized.

“Hospitals and other health care providers are challenged every day to increase the safety and quality of the care given to patients while increasing efficiency,” they said. “A UDI system will facilitate providers’ efforts to meet that challenge. It also will add an element of transparency to the medical device industry by providing basic, standardized information on all medical devices.”

AHRMM is an AHA personal membership group for professionals in health care resource and materials management.

Leader Receives 2008 Bob Majors Scholarship

UHC and its contracting services company, Novation, have selected Ed Smith, Executive Director of Supply Chain Management at University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, as the UHC recipient of the Bob Majors Memorial Scholarship. Novation established the scholarship to honor Robert "Bob" Majors, a director of materials management at Bloomington Hospital in Indiana. Majors passed away in January 2007.

Smith has more than 25 years of experience in health system purchasing and is a passionate promoter of the health care materials management profession He participates in the UHC Supply Chain & Clinical Resources Council, is a member of the Association for Healthcare Resource & Materials Management, and is actively involved in the industry through many leadership positions including the Council of Supply Chain Executives.

"Health care is an industry with significant opportunities for process improvements. Addressing these challenges requires vision, diplomacy, and a great network of support. I am honored to be part of the senior leadership team at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and have such exceptional support from the medical staff," said Smith. "Together, we are implementing industry-leading programs that could have only occurred with our affiliation with UHC and Novation."

Smith will receive $2,500 to apply to the costs associated with attending and participating in a 2009 materials-related conference or leadership education opportunity. "We are excited to support continual growth in individuals, such as Ed Smith, who are dedicated to improving supply chain processes and promoting the profession within health care," said Jake Groenewold, UHC vice president of supply chain.

Engaging the C-suite in the Supply Chain

Leaders can keep supply expenses from skyrocketing by engaging physicians in internal supply chain operations and enforcing effective supply policies.

At the Health Management Academy, they recently conducted a study of 60 of the largest health systems with average annual net patient revenue of $2.7 billion and average annual supply spends of $487 million. Members, the C-suite of America's health system, drove this move.

For the full story from Hospitals & Health Networks, click here.

GPO endorses GS1 supply chain standards

The Premier Inc. group purchasing organization recently endorsed the GS1 supply chain standards, saying it will require them in its contracts with medical device makers.

“This is a huge step forward for the health care community,” said Dennis Harrison, president of GS1 Healthcare US, a group promoting adoption of the standards. “As a GPO, Premier’s announcement will have far-reaching effects in driving the implementation of GS1 standards across the health care supply chain.”

The standards, supported by the American Hospital Association, are used to identify and track medical devices. For more on the GS1 standards movement, visit www.standards.ahrmm.org.

[ via AHA News Now ]