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Benefits of Diversity in Decision Making

1 . Increased innovation : Research , such as studies published in the “ Harvard Business Review 3 ,” has shown that diverse teams are more likely to generate innovative solutions and ideas compared to homogenous groups .

2 . Enhanced problem-solving : A study published in the “ Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 4 ” found that diverse groups outperformed homogenous groups in solving complex problems , emphasizing the importance of cognitive diversity .

3 . Improved financial performance : Research by McKinsey & Company , Catalyst , 5 and other organizations has consistently shown a positive correlation between diversity in leadership and financial performance . Companies with more diverse leadership teams tend to outperform their less diverse counterparts .

4 . Enhanced creativity and out-of-the-box thinking : A study in the “ Journal of Business and Technical Communication 6 ” found that diverse teams were more likely to engage in exploratory learning and creative problem-solving .

5 . Increased customer understanding : Research by Harvard Business Review 7 emphasizes the importance of diversity in understanding and responding to a broad range of consumer preferences .

rection many systems are trying to go . Value analysis leaders are the ones working with often chief medical officers , chief nurse officers , clinicians , supply chain leaders and executives to forge a pathway and a partnership to collaborate on patient care , improved safety and better outcomes .

Clinical integration and patient-centered care is paving the way Despite the number of female medical school graduates hovering around 50 %, the percentage of women in leadership positions in organized medicine and academia has remained consistently low . For instance , a 2021 study found that only 13 % of hospital system leaders , 14 % of chief medical officers , and 27 % of chief executive officers were female . 8

But in the eyes of many women supply chain leaders , the rising presence overall of women as clinicians — if not quite yet in

Total supply chain workforce that are women

leadership roles — has substantial implications for clinical and supply chain integration . Doors are opening for women to assume leadership roles , as their skills and perspectives align with the evolving landscape of patient-centered , integrated care . Efforts to promote gender diversity and inclusivity within both clinical and supply chain leadership will be crucial for fostering a more equitable and effective healthcare system .

Jennifer Carlson recalls that historically , when people would refer to supply chain , the focus was very logistics centered : purchase something , put it on the shelf , and that was that . There wasn ’ t a lot of additional input from clinical stakeholders . Before the pandemic , the investment was in high standardization with the lowest variation . But clinical involvement has shifted and increased , and , as a result , she believes there have been more women coming into supply chain . Although , it ’ s not clear that everyone has adopted a clinically integrated supply chain — especially in the smaller systems — that is the trend in the industry , where clinical engagement , integration opportunities , and utilization reviews are changing the way decisions are made .

Women clinicians bring diverse perspectives and often emphasize patient-centered care . This focus on understanding patient needs and preferences directly influences clinical integration efforts , aligning them with a more holistic and patient-centric approach . Régine Villain from Ochsner has a vision to really empower a resilient , patient-centric healthcare ecosystem . She sees herself and other supply chain leaders as facilitators at the intersection of everything that happens in healthcare — creating a more automated , connected and sustainable supply chain organization .

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