Hospitals in pursuit of excellence

Supplier Diversity in Health Care

In accord with their commitment to equity of care and leadership diversity, hospitals and health systems are focusing on supplier diversity. In 2014, CHRISTUS Health, a Catholic, not-for-profit health system with services in six U.S. states, Mexico and Chile, created a Diversity Supplier Council. This council includes minorities, women and veterans who are small-business-certified suppliers, along with suppliers that are nationally recognized for diversifying their own supply chains. The council offers members and their organizations a high level of business engagement and access to CHRISTUS Health; mentoring and coaching to ensure the organizations remain in excellent standing; and opportunities to improve the health system’s vendor relationship management strategy. Since establishing the council, CHRISTUS Health has seen a nearly 100% increase in the number of identified diverse suppliers. To ensure sustainability and profitability, the health system’s diversity program suppliers must adhere to quality and cost expectations. By partnering with diverse suppliers, CHRISTUS Health supply chain department’s bottom line has improved.

For more information, contact Timothy Martin, manager, supplier diversity, supply chain management, contracting and resource utilization, at timothy.martin@christushealth.org. To read the complete case study, download the HPOE guide “Increasing Supplier Diversity in Health Care.”