Supply Chain Management department named to top 50 list

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Loma Linda University Health’s Supply Chain Management team has been named one of the top 50 supply chains among hospitals and health systems for 2022. This is the fourth straight year that the department has been included in the top 50 rankings sponsored by the Global Healthcare Exchange (GHX). More than 4,100 organizations were considered for inclusion in the rankings.

According to Tina Vatanka Murphy, GHX’s president and CEO, the 50 honored organizations demonstrated a strong commitment to achieving high levels of efficiency in their operations.

"Organizations like these understand that stronger, more resilient supply chain operations are critical to the success of healthcare organizations and their ability to deliver affordable, quality patient care for all,” Murphy said

LLUH’s Supply Chain Management department includes 190 staff members working as Central Service/Supply Chain technicians, data analysts, warehouse receivers, movers and drivers, inventory technicians, purchasing agents, contract specialists, upholsterers and even two RN’s. Joshua Lund, assistant vice president for supply chain management, says his team is highly committed to serving the needs within the health care operation and the university.

“Our team delivers in the chaos of tumultuous times,” Lund said. “We know we can depend on each other as we tackle our current challenges and prepare for those on the horizon.”

Lund said securing sufficient PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic was a significant challenge. They currently deal with manufactures’ back orders and work to mitigate rising costs of supplies and services.

“Healthcare remains a dynamic, challenging environment,” Lund said. “And the healthcare supply chain is no different. Considering global supply chain issues, we have to overcome challenges daily in order to provide for the critical needs our healthcare team and patients have.”

Lund’s department processed more than 253,000 purchase orders during 2022 and negotiated 175 contracts with suppliers. He says increased use of technology has allowed his team to better manage their processes. Lund also says LLUH has seen significant cost savings through the efforts of his department’s Strategic Sourcing team that focuses on negotiating supply, service, and equipment contracts for the organization.

Here are some stats on the work the Supply Chain team has managed on an annual basis: