HealthTrust Performance GroupSM Honors Six Healthcare Organizations for Excellence, Social Stewardship, and Innovation

Franciscan Alliance Named Outstanding Member of the Year

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Six HealthTrust member organizations have been applauded for excellence in delivering outstanding programs and services benefitting their patients and communities. The health systems are recipients of the 2023 Member Recognition Awards which were announced today at HealthTrust University Conference in Las Vegas. The Outstanding Member of the Year Award was presented to Franciscan Alliance for performance improvement and optimization through the adoption of HealthTrust initiatives and new contract categories.

“The Member Recognition Awards are the highest form of acknowledgement that we bestow across the HealthTrust collective each year,” said David Osborn, Ph.D., HealthTrust Senior Vice President of Strategic Accounts and Sales who presented the awards to the representatives of the healthcare organizations. “This year’s recipients have demonstrated outstanding performance and made exceptional contributions to the patients, caregivers, and communities they serve. Considering the talent within this membership, it is extremely impressive for these organizations to rise to the top.”

The recipients of the HealthTrust 2023 Member Awards are:

Outstanding Member – Franciscan Alliance, Mishawaka, Indiana for collaboration with physicians, business leaders, and clinical stakeholders to drive change, identify opportunities, and attain value by executing on key savings opportunities across the health system.

• Steve Ellis, Vice President, Supply Chain Services
• David Blazo, Vice President, Pharmacy
• Sarah Burdick, Admin Director Strategic Sourcing
• Dawn Thackston, Director, Value Analysis
• Steven Hamilton, Admin Director, Supply Chain Logistics
• Maria Gilliland, Admin Director, Procurement and Accounts Payable

Operational Excellence – United Surgical Partners International, Dallas, Texas for implementing best practices in streamlining and maximizing supply-chain operations and cost‐savings initiatives in support of USPI’s commitment to growth and excellence in patient care.

• Jessica Rodriquez Mendez, MBA, MS Pharm, Director, Supply Chain Operations
• Al Padron, Director, Materials Management
• Angela Walton, Director, Materials Management
• Eric Hiam, Director, Materials Management
• Mark Adkins, Director, Materials Management
• Stormi Little, Director, DRE and Acquisitions
• Tim Burns, Director, Materials Management
• Tim Oliver, Director, Materials Management

Clinical Excellence – Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, Baton Rouge, Louisiana for best practices in clinically-focused supply chain initiatives leading to improvements in care outcomes, physician engagement, operational efficiency, patient experience, and financial savings. FMOLHS improved its process to monitor blood oxygen in patients, thereby improving safety and the patient experience while reducing costs on pulse oximetry sensors and related software.

• Shantelle Graves, Senior Director, Respiratory Care and EEG
• Benjamin Vetsch, Contract Program Manager
• Blake Nolan, Director, Respiratory Therapy
• Benjamin Willoughby, Director, Respiratory Therapy
• Hollie Guillory, Director, Respiratory Therapy
• Kim Bourgeois, Contract Program Manager

Social Stewardship – HCA Healthcare Mountain Division, Salt Lake City, Utah for excellence in environmental sustainability by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The division retired the use of the anesthesia gas desflurane from its hospitals and surgery centers. In doing so, the division netted a 95% reduction in its anesthetic gas carbon footprint.

• Filip Roos, M.D., MBA, FASE, Division Chief Medical Officer
• Janet Zarndt, Division Vice President, Pharmacy Services
• Samantha Leonard, Division Director, Clinical Pharmacy
• Curtis Lancaster, Supply Chain CEO

Pharmacy Excellence – Scripps Health, San Diego, California for its centralized Medication Financial Assistance Program leading to improved care outcomes, operational efficiencies, and cost-savings for patients unable to afford medications. The program helps patients who lack drug or health insurance get needed medications that would otherwise be too expensive or would leave them with a significant financial burden.

• Aaron Ginsberg, PharmD, Director of Centralized Pharmacy Services
• Mai Borazjani, PharmD, Advanced Practice Pharmacist
• Stephanie Erekuff, Revenue Cycle Application Specialist
• Gabriela Loaiza, CPhT, Pharmacy Tech Specialist, Patient Care Coordinator
• Tami McIntyre, CPhT, Pharmacy Tech Specialist, Patient Care Coordinator
• Tony Jackson, Assistant Vice President, Pharmacy Services
• Pamela Letzkus, Senior Director, Pharmacy Acute Care

Innovation Award – WellSpan Health, York, Pennsylvania for unique and scalable solutions that advance healthcare and organizational performance. WellSpan Health developed a Balanced Vendor Scorecard to quantify non-financial criteria when selecting vendors. The scorecard is allowing for a more level playing field among vendors and facilitating a more diverse and effective vendor pool.

• Greg Inman, Manager, Strategic Sourcing
• Miranda Markle, Contract Administrator
• Kelly Winegardner, Contract Administrator
• Catherine Grein, Director, Strategic Sourcing
• Cindy Rhoades, Contract Administrator

In addition to recognition at the Conference, the winning organizations will be featured in the fourth quarter issue of The Source magazine for HealthTrust members.

About HealthTrust Performance Group

HealthTrust Performance Group (HealthTrust) is a healthcare performance improvement company committed to strengthening operational and clinical excellence through an aligned membership model and advisory services that leverage operator experience, scale and innovation. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, HealthTrust serves approximately 1,800 hospitals and health systems in the U.S. and the United Kingdom, and more than 65,000 non-acute locations including ambulatory surgery centers, physician practices, long-term care and alternate care sites. HealthTrust has earned designation as a Top Workplace in Middle Tennessee.