Karen Niven Recognized as Outstanding Woman Leader in Supply Chain

Karen Niven, MS, BSN, CVAHP, Senior Director of Performance Groups and Value Analysis at
Premier, Inc., been named to the Journal of Healthcare Contracting's 2023 "Women Leaders in Supply Chain."

Congratulations to Karen, our Premier members recognized and all of the winners!

In what ways has the market changed that makes supply chain more important to hospitals and health systems?

Niven: In a post pandemic world, I believe Value Analysis has found renewed purpose. Ongoing Supply Chain disruptions, cost pressures and an evolving reimbursement environment have more organizations turning to process improvement and lean strategies for ways to find savings, while simultaneously driving supply chain resiliency and strong clinical outcomes.

During my career, I have had many opportunities to lead from the front, middle and the back. I continue to cherish these opportunities and look for ways we can continue to share knowledge, expertise and insights across our industry for the benefit of all.

I have worked with IDNs across the country to plan, implement and evaluate their structure and Value Analysis programs and processes. And these processes have evolved and matured – innovative Supply Chain teams today are purchasing products and services at the right time and the right price, based on the total value of care delivery.

For example, and working closely with our Value Analysis committees, we developed a priority rate for products and categories that are determined to be critical to operations for patient care.

This vital member feedback coupled with robust data informs Premier’s product watch list – to provide insights on backorders and potential shortages, and advocate for prioritization of critical products. This list is shared with our members as well as the White House, FDA and other government supply chain stakeholders for their reference and to help prevent product disruptions in healthcare. I also recently engaged with a team of industry experts who published Premier's 2023 Supply Chain Resiliency Guide that offers market-informed strategies to address supply chain challenges, mitigate risks to patient safety, and enable long-term success for providers.

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