Healthcare Material Managers and Healthcare Reform

Many Materials Managers are already recognized by their healthcare organizations as true subject matter experts in virtually every support area of the healthcare organization. I have to say that the future for Materials Managers is extremely bright. I do hope the title will change to Healthcare Logistics Manager to reflect the actual function more realistically.

The Materials Manager will be a critical leader as we move toward healthcare reform, no matter which form healthcare reform takes. I think the Air Force experience with Healthcare Logisticians will be replicated in the Private Sector sooner rather than later. Materials Managers will provide the expertise needed to measure all healthcare costs and serve as the leader in implementing major cost containment efforts. Many healthcare organizations may not survive in the future, but those organizations with the desire to survive reimbursement reductions and continuing service to their Communities, the Materials Manager's experience will be invaluable.

The Air Force started moving Healthcare Logisticians into Commander (CEO) positions in the 1970s. The Air Force Surgeon General’s Office was amazed at how well we did as CEOs. We had an inside joke that we were naturals for the job. We never had the staffing levels we were authorized; we dealt with Defense Department medical depots as our Prime Vendor and dealt with 30-45 days order-ship dates. We also had to work with the Base Finance Office, Procurement Directorate, Information Systems Office and the Non-Medical Supply Officer (Base Supply) to get the supplies, equipment and services for our hospital or medical center. The feeling was if we could jump all those hurdles and accomplish “additional duties” such as Director, Environmental Services, Linen & Laundry, Central Supply, Plant Operations, Biomedical Equipment Management and serve as the United Way project officer, how hard could the CEO job really be?

I know that the future for the Materials Management career field is very bright indeed. It’s only a matter of time until Corporate Offices recognize what most of us are already doing and move us into the C-Suite. After all, the Air Force did that over 35 years ago.