CHRISTUS Health New Mexico Region Focuses on Cost Management; Saves $1....( Region recog...),Health

Region recognizes immediate, significant savings through executive leadership and team effort

Dallas (Vocus) June 23, 2009 -- CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Medical Center and CHRISTUS St. Vincent Medical Group in Santa Fe, New Mexico, through teamwork, focused efforts and support of executive leadership, achieved a $1.8 million supply chain savings in nine months. CHRISTUS Health began managing CHRISTUS St. Vincent in April 2008 and was immediately integrated with the system's supply chain processes, taking a team approach.

"CHRISTUS Health focuses on operating an efficient system-wide supply chain," said Steve Pitzer, system director, Supply Chain management, CHRISTUS Health. "By streamlining the supply chain at each hospital, we are able to drastically improve our processes and reduce operating costs."

One of the ways CHRISTUS Health achieves savings is by working with their integral supply chain partner, Broadlane. To identify initial savings opportunities within the CHRISTUS New Mexico region, meetings began with department directors and included oversight and support from the executive staff and nursing leadership, consisting of Bruce Tassin, chief operating officer; Paul Generale, chief financial officer; Robin Talmadge, chief nursing officer; and Michael Velarde, director of Materials Management. From there, Broadlane's clinical resource engaged and was onsite for several weeks to streamline purchasing patterns and identify new opportunities.

"As a co-sponsor for the contract implementation process, most hospitals lack an understanding of the impact supply chain processes and costs have on the bottom line, said Tassin. "It was important to get involved in the very beginning to help streamline supply chain
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