Laura Johns, Administrative Director for Supply Chain and Support Services, Cleveland Clinic
Editor’s note: The following interview first appeared in The Journal of Healthcare Contracting’s Women Leaders issue.
Please tell us a little bit about your role and responsibilities within your organization.
As the Administrative Director for Supply Chain and Support Services at Cleveland Clinic, I lead a team responsible for all aspects of our business operations, including budget and workforce management, communication, employee engagement, strategic planning, goal setting, project management and compliance, for our global department that spans sourcing, materials management, data and technology, and patient support services. I also lead our supplier diversity, sustainability and resiliency initiatives. My team thinks of ourselves as “the glue”, working closely with our CSCO, leadership team and stakeholders across the organization, and externally, we make connections and help the department achieve objectives.
In what ways has the supply chain changed for the better over the last 2-3 years?
I like that wording, “for the better,” because I think, when it comes to supply chain, we focus a lot on the negatives that have come out of the pandemic. When I think of things that are “for the better”, the renewed energy around resiliency comes to the top of my mind. As we come out on the other side of the pandemic those impacted have had time to regroup and think, “How do we prevent this from happening in the future?” It takes trust, transparency, and communication among the providers, suppliers, GPOs and distributors to find solutions together.
The goal of our resiliency program is to eliminate backorders – it’s ambitious and requires a different level of partnership with our stakeholders. We are embarking on a journey to understand exactly where our products are coming from and as far back in the network as we can, so we can predict disruptions, plan for how to handle them, and respond effectively. From the suppliers we have spoken to, nearly everyone has been willing to help us get there. They may not be able to commit right away, but they are willing to work with us and move toward that goal.
It’s not just Cleveland Clinic that is having success on this journey, in my position as a board member of the Healthcare Industry Resiliency Collaborative (HIRC), I get to see this happening all over the industry. I think it has the power to really transform care delivery and provide the best possible care to our patients.
What about the challenges? What are supply chain leaders worried about right now?
We’re still dealing with shortages. We’ve heard the time directly after the pandemic described as the “new normal,” and I think there was this undertone of, “eventually this will go away.” But the reality is we are still seeing back orders at 10 times of what we did pre-pandemic levels. Each shortage requires hours to resolve and it’s incredibly reactive – it puts a huge strain on our employees. Couple that with staffing shortages and you have an environment ripe for burnout. I worry about our teams and that one day the product a clinician needs won’t be there. It’s why we are so focused on building a strong resiliency program.
When you hear your words like diversity, equity, inclusion in the workplace, what does that mean to you, and how can those things contribute to the success of an organization?
I look at this question from two lenses. In my role in workforce planning I think about the diversity of our employees and talent pipelines as well as how we are creating an inclusive environment for everyone to come to work fully as themselves. It is critical to the future of our organization to have different backgrounds and perspectives.
In my role as supply chain supplier diversity liaison, I think about the impact local and diverse purchasing can have on our community. Cleveland Clinic’s main campus is considered an anchor institution within an underserved area. When we are able to bring on a local, diverse supplier, we make a big impact on the community. I feel excited about these projects because they can create impact on a macro-level. Ultimately, a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion is about enabling us to better care for our patients, community, organization and one another.
What about mentorship? Have you had anyone who’s mentored you, come alongside you during your career?
I’ve had several incredible mentors throughout my career. Having somebody “in your corner” who believes in you and whom you trust is invaluable, especially when you’re trying new things or getting outside of your comfort zone. My mentors have helped to bolster my confidence and provide space that it’s OK to fail. Or as I heard recently, “a first attempt in learning,” which I loved, because it’s so true. Trying new things is how you grow and mentors help provide guidance and guiderails to navigating new roads.
What are some ways that you try to grow as a leader?
In general, I have a growth mindset where I am always trying to learn new things and take on new challenges. It keeps things exciting and I feel fortunate to be in healthcare where the landscape is constantly changing and presenting new opportunities. Being a leader takes this to the next level because it’s not just “you” to think about – you have a team that’s relying on you to help them grow in their careers, too. As I take on new responsibilities, for example resiliency, I need to make sure I’m growing my team to take on new responsibilities so I can devote time to new initiatives. And as the team grows, you have to adapt your leadership style to their new skillset. It’s a constant evolution.
What project or initiative are you looking forward to working on in the next few months?
I am really excited about our resiliency initiatives. Next year, we are working to implement a multi-network solution, which is common in other industries but very novel in healthcare. It will enable us to better predict demand, match that to available supplier inventories, and understand potential impacts due to world events. It will give us the extra time needed to make inventory or substitute decisions and start to solve for the challenges I mentioned. I think it has the potential to completely change the industry.