Vanderbilt University Medical Center has been recognized for excellence in managing its medical supplies and equipment, earning a spot on a highly regarded national ranking for the first time.
Vanderbilt Health placed 25th in the Gartner Healthcare Supply Chain Top 25 for 2024, released by Gartner Inc., a technology research and consulting firm based in Stamford, Connecticut.
With a staff of 300, VUMC’s supply chain team is led by Chief Supply Chain Officer Teresa Dail, RN. Recognition from Gartner was neither expected nor sought, according to Dail, as VUMC had not been eligible in the past for consideration. It turns out that VUMC became eligible to be ranked upon acquiring regional hospitals, thereby meeting Gartner’s definition of a health system.
Dail said that typically a health system submits a formal packet to Gartner outlining the scope, efforts, accomplishments and strategic initiatives of the supply chain, and that Vanderbilt’s ranking was achieved without this formal submission. This is the 16th annual edition of the Gartner ranking.
A supply chain in health care encompasses the entire system for acquiring, storing and delivering medical supplies, medication and equipment needed for patient care. Effective supply chain management helps ensure hospitals have the right materials at the right time while controlling costs.
“We’re very pleased and surprised to receive this recognition from Gartner and our peers,” Dail said. “I view this as added confirmation that VUMC’s supply chain strategy and practices are on track. I am thrilled for our supply chain team members who work tirelessly in this very challenging environment to strive for excellence, and very grateful for the collaboration of our clinical partners.”
For the ranking, Gartner evaluates health systems using multiple measures, including financial performance, quality of patient care, and environmental sustainability. The methodology combined quantitative metrics with peer assessments from industry leaders to create composite scores for each institution.
“You can be sure,” Dail said, “that this next year we will actively be providing a deeper level of information about VUMC to Gartner and the committee for evaluation during their ranking deliberations.”
The ranking highlighted three major trends among top-performing health systems: improved coordination with clinical departments, broader oversight of organizational spending, and increased use of digital technology for supply management.
Advent Health, based in Altamonte Springs, Florida, claimed the top position in this year’s ranking. Cleveland Clinic joined Mayo Clinic and Intermountain Health in Gartner’s Masters category, recognizing sustained supply chain excellence over multiple years.
