leveraging AI. By combining this roadmap with our knowledge of opportunities, we can position ourselves for innovation or risk being left behind. This concept, which I’ ve heard from other supply chain leaders, has truly resonated with me.

How important is data analytics and comfort with data? How do you help junior members of your team develop those skills? I believe it’ s crucial to grasp and apply the significance of data and analytics early in one’ s career. As the saying goes,“ You can’ t manage what you don’ t monitor or measure.” Early in my career, I realized the value of analytics and decision support. Honestly, I don’ t think I would have progressed without developing discipline in this area. It’ s important to emphasize these concepts to junior members and explain how analytics can make the job enjoyable, just like bowling without scoring would be less fun.

How do you help supply chain leaders keep a focus on patient outcomes while trying to handle supply chain challenges? I firmly believe that understanding the connection between supply chain and quality is a crucial concept to grasp. It’ s noteworthy how Gartner places significant emphasis on health systems quality measures when determining its Top 25 Supply Chain rankings. Therefore, supply chain endeavors in areas such as standardization, pricing, utilization, and so on, must be mindful that compromising quality is not an option. One of the most gratifying and fulfilling aspects of being involved in the supply chain is the connection to patient outcomes.

What challenges do you see in terms of collaboration, and how do you help the next generation develop relationships and collaborate effectively with clinical partners? We are beginning to collaborate with clinical leadership and physicians in the domain of supply utilization and variance. I perceive this as the next and potentially more intricate frontier where we aim to achieve efficiencies and maintain our commitment to quality. In this effort, establishing new connections with clinical leadership is crucial. We are moving beyond a transactional relationship and fostering a strategic partnership through data analysis and collaboration. By working together with operations and quality, we can identify and capitalize on utilization opportunities.

What lessons did you learn from past emergencies( natural disasters, the pandemic, etc.) that you think the next generation needs to learn as well? A pandemic, a cyberattack, or a major destruction and supply chain disruption will likely present a leader’ s greatest challenge in their career. What truly matters is how you prepare for these emergencies in advance. Resilience preparation planning, coupled with your own efforts and the measures you’ ve taken to prepare for such situations, can make all the difference.

When working with future leaders, what emphasis do you place on reducing environmental impact? The statistics on the impact of healthcare supply chains on global carbon emissions are quite staggering. I believe this is an important aspect of the ongoing conversation that we should continue to monitor and act upon. Green initiatives are crucial in procuring environmentally friendly products. Additionally, I feel that the greatest opportunity may lie in utilizing waste reduction and control methods. I believe we are just beginning to explore this potential, and I am excited to see how the industry evolves in this regard.

Do you have any other insights you would like to share? Embrace change. Our jobs can be challenging, and there may be reasons to feel down, but don’ t. Maintain optimism. What truly matters is not what keeps us awake at night but what motivates us to get out of bed in the morning— that’ s our purpose in the healthcare supply chain. Enjoy the journey. ◼

Reference 1 Deloitte Center for Health Solutions.( 2024, December 12). 2025 global health care executive outlook. Deloitte Insights. https:// www2. deloitte. com / us / en / insights / industry / health-care / life-sciences-and-healthcare-industry-outlooks / 2025-global-health-care-executive-outlook. html