Mike Alkire: Three Objectives Guiding Me As I Step into the Role of Premier President and CEO

Today, I am honored and humbled to officially begin my tenure as Premier’s President and CEO.

When I joined Premier, I was drawn to the company and its mission to work together with members to improve the health of communities. I realized that Premier provided a singular opportunity to affect change from the inside, make a meaningful impact and create a legacy of improved cost, quality and outcomes in healthcare. What has kept me here is our people, our mission and our potential to truly make a difference. All three continue to inspire me today and remain highly relevant in this environment of change and recovery.

As our members emerge from the pandemic, they will be confronted with this new environment. One that requires technology to automate processes, ensure the most appropriate care and extend healthcare’s reach. A world that demands new operating models and resiliency to deliver better, safer care at an affordable price. A world where new competitors disrupt the status quo and challenge providers to deliver a more personalized experience.

As a healthcare technology company with some of the most strategic, comprehensive and impactful assets in the industry, we have a strong foundation to help our members navigate this new world.

While we are well positioned and proud of what we’ve built together, please know that our members are counting on us to continue to chart the course and help them evolve ahead of the future.

In light of these realities, I see it as my job to drive focus on three key objectives:

1. To cultivate Premier’s and our members’ long-term growth, taking a disciplined approach to nurture the best ideas. This will require us to continue to build on our core, “sticky” member network and offerings, while expanding into new markets with innovative products and game changing services that address real pain points and improve healthcare value.
2. To serve as a catalyst for change, capitalizing on our investments in artificial intelligence, machine learning, advanced analytics and natural language processing to disrupt low- or no-value activities such as prior authorization, paper-based ordering and payment processing. I want us to be the leading force that tech-enables healthcare’s infrastructure, creating a smarter care delivery system for the 21st Century.
3. To be a relentless champion for our members in the marketplace, setting them up to be the differentiated leaders of community-driven health and highest-quality care.

Through successful execution of these objectives, we can advance our strategies, achieve our goals, and deliver long-term growth and value to our stockholders, members and other stakeholders.

What we do next will not only define the success of our business, but the trajectory of healthcare.

To paraphrase the words of actor Christopher Reeve, our aspirations will at first look impossible, then seem improbable. But if we summon our collective will, they will become inevitable.

Finally, I must thank Susan DeVore for her leadership and her role in shaping the company I inherit today.

I am confident that if we continue to keep member needs at the heart of all we do;

If we reinvigorate our commitments to mission, vision and values;

If we execute on our growth promises;

Then we can do bold, amazing things.

Many organizations profess to leave a lasting imprint on healthcare. But Premier has the resources, the talent and the unwavering determination to deliver.

As CEO, I am looking forward to achieving great things - together.

Our future is very bright.