CHRISTUS Health New Mexico Region Focuses on Cost Management; Saves $1.8 Million
Region recognizes immediate, significant savings through executive leadership and team effort
Dallas (Vocus/PRWEB ) June 24, 2009 -- CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Medical Center and CHRISTUS St. Vincent Medical Group in Santa Fe, New Mexico, through teamwork, focused efforts and support of executive leadership, achieved a $1.8 million supply chain savings in nine months. CHRISTUS Health began managing CHRISTUS St. Vincent in April 2008 and was immediately integrated with the system's supply chain processes, taking a team approach.
"CHRISTUS Health focuses on operating an efficient system-wide supply chain," said Steve Pitzer, system director, Supply Chain management, CHRISTUS Health. "By streamlining the supply chain at each hospital, we are able to drastically improve our processes and reduce operating costs."
One of the ways CHRISTUS Health achieves savings is by working with their integral supply chain partner, Broadlane. To identify initial savings opportunities within the CHRISTUS New Mexico region, meetings began with department directors and included oversight and support from the executive staff and nursing leadership, consisting of Bruce Tassin, chief operating officer; Paul Generale, chief financial officer; Robin Talmadge, chief nursing officer; and Michael Velarde, director of Materials Management. From there, Broadlane's clinical resource engaged and was onsite for several weeks to streamline purchasing patterns and identify new opportunities.
"As a co-sponsor for the contract implementation process, most hospitals lack an understanding of the impact supply chain processes and costs have on the bottom line, said Tassin. "It was important to get involved in the very beginning to help streamline supply chain and purchasing processes. I believe this is why we had immediate success."
Implementation of timelines, savings targets and action plans were presented weekly to the regional leadership team to keep them informed of the progress and to further define measures of improvement. "The key to success was the onsite collaboration between all participants from discovery through completion," said Ann Lingenfelter, senior director, Clinical Resources for Broadlane.
"I believe our efforts were successful because we were involved from the onset of this initiative," said Generale. "It is imperative that an initiative of this magnitude with one of the largest operating cost segments have strong leadership to demonstrate the importance to the supply chain staff and clinicians who are impacted. We are so pleased the team could generate significant financial savings in such a brief period of time."
"Broadlane prides itself in offering exceptional client service," said David Ricker, president and chief executive officer for Broadlane. "Through transference of proven best practices, we help our clients optimize their supply chain and recommend improvements and measures they can take to see maximum improvements and cost savings. Our past experiences with CHRISTUS Health prove we possess the expertise to deliver the results they desire, and we are so pleased with the results the region achieved."
About CHRISTUS Health
CHRISTUS Health, an international Catholic, faith-based, not-for-profit health system, is headquartered in Dallas and is comprised of almost 350 services and facilities, including more than 50 hospitals and long-term care facilities, 175 clinics and outpatient centers, and dozens of other health ministries and ventures in more than 60 cities in Texas, New Mexico, Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Georgia, Utah and Mexico. The system employs more than 30,000 Associates--including 9,000 physicians on facility medical staffs--that provide care and support for patients. CHRISTUS Health is listed among the top ten Catholic health systems in the U.S.
About Broadlane
Broadlane is the leading cost-management company for healthcare providers, reducing cost and creating operational efficiencies for thousands of acute care hospitals, ambulatory care facilities, physician practices and other healthcare providers in the United States. Its core services include supply chain management and clinical workforce management services.
Broadlane's clients include leading providers such as Advocate Health Care, Ascension Health, Beaumont Hospitals, CHRISTUS Health, Continuum Health Partners, Kaiser Permanente, Kindred Healthcare, MedCath Corporation, New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health System, Tenet Healthcare, The Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati, US Oncology and UMass Memorial Health Care.
The company is headquartered in Dallas with offices in Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, New York City and Oakland. For more information, visit www.broadlane.com.
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