VALUE. DELIVERED.
How a single solution supports population health and workforce shortages
by Karen Conway, Vice President, Healthcare Value, GHX E
arlier this year, Jeremy Strong, the supply chain system vice presi- dent for Rush University Medical
Center, spoke at the GHX Summit about work his organization is doing to support local economic development on the west side of Chicago. As an active member of the Healthcare Anchor Network, Rush has invested in a number of programs, including local impact purchasing to help generate job opportunities and address the root causes of poverty and, in turn, health disparities in the communities it serves. At the Summit, we also hosted discus-
sions around how to address critical labor shortages, and that got Jeremy asking: “Was there a way Rush could address both issues by hiring more individuals from the west side to fi ll open positions in supply chain at the health system?” When Jeremy asked some of his current team members from the west side their opinion, he discov- ered an unfortunate truth. Too often, those interested in positions at Rush had trouble even getting an interview. One employee, who is a top performer, shared that he had applied unsuccessfully multiple times for jobs at Rush; he was only able to get a job by going through an employment agency. Being a good systems thinker, Strong once again thought about the root causes, and together with his team realized that many of these potential employees did not make it through the initial screen- ing because they lacked opportunities to gain relevant experience before applying. Many also needed support to develop what Strong calls power skills, such as resume
“
...investing in communities through job training can give people the resources they need to change their lives for the better.” — Jeremy Strong
building, communication, and/or customer service. Speaking with community lead- ers, Strong also discovered other barri- ers, including lack of transportation and/ or childcare. That’s when things began to fall into place. Just as Strong and team were think- ing about how they could provide some entry level knowledge, experience and skills, he was contacted by the Tullman Foundation and InUrban Strategies, which were looking to do some business incuba- tion on the west side. Together, they real- ized they had similar visions in mind, and both, with a bias for action, got to work. Within a matter of months, their vision had turned into reality. An inaugural cohort began training at the Jump Higher center on the west side in mid-November; upon graduation they will be offered interviews with Rush and other organizations looking for supply chain talent.
The Tullman Foundation is providing the power skills training, the stipends and the critical wrap around services, like childcare and transportation; Strong and his team, along with supply chain professionals from its distributor Concordance, will provide not only classroom-style overviews of key
This is her hospital, her community, and she is passionate about making life better for herself, her family and her neighborhood. ...“Why wouldn’t you want someone with that much passion on your team?” — Jeremy Strong
48 December 2022 • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS •
hpnonline.com
entry-level sup- ply chain subjects, such as purchasing and inventory, but also job shadow- ing. Previously, Rush had chosen Concordance as its distribution partner
after the company said it would hire and train local residents to work at a new center it would build on the west side. Strong also hopes this helps expose the potential for building a career in supply chain, vs. seeing it as just another job.
For Strong, this is not just about helping
address the health system’s workforce chal- lenges. He says this is fundamentally about supporting historically disinvested com- munities by helping people fi nd not only a job, but a career with upward advancement possibilities. As Strong describes it, while providing resources, such as nutritious food, to struggling families and communi- ties is valuable, investing in communities through job training can give people the resources they need to change their lives for the better. He brings this sentiment to life as he
describes the pride of one worker who now supports the hospital where so many of her family members have been treated. This is her hospital, her community, and she is passionate about making life better for herself, her family and her neighborhood. In Strong’s words, “Why wouldn’t you want someone with that much passion on your team?” HPN
Karen Conway works to advance the role of the supply chain as a critical enabler in the pursuit of a value-based healthcare system. As Vice President, Healthcare Value for Global Healthcare Exchange (GHX), Conway explores how the supply chain and improved data qual- ity and visibility can support understanding of what increases value for patients and to those organizations that develop and deliver health- care products and services.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54
