Executive Insights

In 2005 I moved into the Healthcare Supply Chain industry working for Intermountain Healthcare for 11 years before retirement. I had come from for-profit industries that were focused on profit and improving returns to give greater dividends to stockholders.

It didn’t take long for me to realize and “feel” a difference in healthcare. The major purpose of our work was for the patient. It felt good and everyone was focused on it – executives, clinicians, suppliers, GPOs, and supply chain employees.

18 years later I believe this is still a great industry to work in. At the 2023 Fall IDN Summit and Reverse Expo in Phoenix last month I decided to take a survey, asking many people, “Why do you like to work in the Healthcare Supply Chain?” I used an app on my phone to record the responses.

Here are some of the responses:

From GPO/Suppliers:

Can make a difference in patient outcomes and for the end-user
It ultimately helps patients
Get to help people
Very rewarding, especially when you have a good product
It’s more mission-driven and more stable
Make a difference in people's lives
Lots of opportunities
I like to be involved in making people better
I enjoy empowering companies with better technology
Contribute to society
I love drinking beer and I don’t want to sell it. So, I work in the healthcare supply chain to help people live better lives.
As a supplier I like trying to help hospitals reduce costs and provide better value for their patients
It’s about the patients.

Responses From IDN/Providers:

I believe at the end of the day WE will be the ones that can make a difference to the patients
The opportunity to bring value to my community at large and to our clinicians
Supply chain is fantastic. It’s the intersection of where business happens in the organization to help the patients.
It’s the only supply chain career where you can feel that you are making a difference
We can actually make a difference in someone’s life
I had a bad healthcare experience myself and want to make it better
I always wanted to be a doctor and that’s how I could make a difference in someone’s life. Once I entered the supply chain I realized I could equally make a difference in the outcome of someone’s health journey. I then realized I was at the right address.
It means something
I like working in healthcare in general and supply chain is what needs the most attention in our organization so I volunteered to work there.
I like it because of the diversity. Being able to be involved with all aspects of healthcare from clinicians one day and with operations another day.

The healthcare supply chain industry is a GREAT place to work for all the reasons mentioned above. It’s also very large and growing. I’m so glad I worked in healthcare. I hope you are too.