Healthcare Supply Chain Management Initiative
The Healthcare Supply Chain Management Initiative expands the Healthcare Management Department’s focus on one of the most crucial elements of cost-management in the healthcare system: an efficient, reliable and prompt distribution process for medical goods from raw materials to the finished product.
Abby Hersom ’18 scans a newly bar-coded instrument while at her internship in supply chain management at LeeSar.
In this Initiative, the Department’s goals are to:
- Incorporate content related to supply chain management into its courses
- Bring experts to campus as guest speakers
- Develop new internship options
- Host workshops for practitioners
“The courses are designed to match the needs of students to the real-world challenges of the industry,” said the Rev. Thomas Gariepy, C.S.C., professor of healthcare administration. “The internship placements give students hands-on experiences in a growing sector of the healthcare industry.”
The Initiative was made possible by an initial $30,000 grant from the Kimberly-Clark Corp., thanks to the efforts of Stonehill alumni Bob Simpson ’93 (shown below). A pioneer in medical supply distribution, Simpsons Fort Myers-based company LeeSar is a leader in integrated healthcare delivery systems and collaborates closely with Kimberly-Clark.
Simpson said that a focus on the healthcare supply chain “will give students an edge in the healthcare supply chain field by providing them with the knowledge, skills and experience necessary to succeed both immediately after graduation and in the long-term.”
Also providing support for the Initiative are DeRoyal and the Association for Healthcare Resource and Materials Management (AHRMM).
“This initiative complements AHRMM’s strategic goal to provide essential healthcare supply chain management knowledge and skills to individuals early in their careers,” said former AHRMM President Mary Ann Michalski, “while also fostering awareness in the profession to gain the interest of students at the undergraduate level.”
Since 2008, when the Healthcare Supply Chain Management Initiative began, students have had the opportunity to do a full-time summer internship in supply chain management at LeeSar in Fort Myers, Florida.
In addition, students have been able to do internships at Yankee Alliance in Andover, Massachusetts, Owens & Minor in Franklin, Massachusetts, and DePuy/Johnson & Johnson in Raynham, Massachusetts. The Department now offers a dedicated course in healthcare supply chain management, taught by Professor Mitchell Glavin, and has introduced related content in other courses. Most recently, the Initiative has established a link with the New England Society for Healthcare Materials Management (NESHMM).
Quotes from Business Leaders
Stonehill’s supply chain management initiative prepares students with the current fundamentals that an organization expects its employees to possess.
The students of the Stonehill Supply Chain Management Initiative consistently display a keen understanding of the increasing importance that medical devices and supply chain management play in our nation’s health delivery system. The healthcare supply chain industry is fortunate to have the Stonehill program to prepare tomorrow’s industry leaders.
The healthcare industry must find new ways to be more efficient and reduce supply chain expenses. Future supply chain leaders will need to be dynamic, creative team players with strong business acumen to help lead the industry through the upcoming changes. As Stonehill begins to train the next generation of supply chain leaders through their Supply Chain Management Initiative, their Healthcare Administration students will benefit greatly from early exposure and training on the key issues and opportunities.