The Impact of Reform and the Recession on Supply Chain Management

A key objective of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's new reimbursement and payment methodology is to shift the nation's health care delivery system from one that is paid based on volume to a payment system based on value. To cross the chasm between a fee-for-service health care payment system to a value-based system, hospitals are evaluating their appetite for risk and their operational readiness to manage it. A critical component to future success is the hospital's ability to deliver high quality care in the most cost-effective manner possible.

On August 6, 2012, the Association for Healthcare Resource & Materials Management hosted an Executive Thought Leader Forum to discuss the transforming health care environment. The forum was sponsored by VHA, and held during the AHRMM 50th Annual Conference in San Antonio.

Seasoned health care supply chain executives began the session by reviewing the results of the 2012 Healthcare Provider Executive Supply Chain Survey conducted by business consultant Jamie Kowalski. The survey discussion focused on the impacts of health care reform and the recessionary economy on supply chain management.

Following the review of survey results, Jack Shaw, a business technology futurist, discussed opportunities for leveraging technologies to streamline and increase efficiencies in health care supply chains.

The third presentation and discussion was facilitated by Natasha Goburdhun, vice-president of HRET. Goburdhun and the executive thought leaders explored the changing environment and its implications for hospitals and care systems of the future.