Without a pre-identified “plan B” no
validated alternatives and no standard risk assessment plan to monitor
the health of critical suppliers, Kaiser
Permanente’s options in the marketplace were limited, and it was sent scurrying to find a solution with little time
to assess the viability of our choices.
But we were well ahead of other linen
users in the region.
Kaiser Permanente has since designed
a program to allow for systematic early
warning. It is a way to identify alternative
suppliers and assess their viability ahead
of time utilizing up-to-date intelligence.
They use a pre-set approach to assessing,
ranking, and creating countermeasures to
vendors’ and suppliers’ risks scenarios.
Once a risk to a supplier is deemed real,
a cross functional team will convene to
flesh out a “plan B” a transition plan,
dependencies, and a team to manage the
process.
The objective is to ensure a flexibly
resilient organization can respond in any
number of situations when disaster or any
event threatens operations. Preparation
helps employees work collaboratively and
efficiently. Well exercised methodologies
and contingencies allow for rapid transi-
tion.
v
Ken Mudge is the executive director of
non-medical sourcing within procurement
and;supply;at;Kaiser;Permanente.;Mudge’s
team;has;responsibility;to;provide;assur-ance of supply for a number of patient/
member;facing;goods;and;services,;including;linen;and
laundry,;among;others.
Skip Skivington is the vice president of
operations;within;procurement;and;supply
at;Kaiser;Permanente.;One;of;Skivington‘s
chief responsibilities is to direct Kaiser
Permanente’s healthcare continuity man-agement;program;which;ensures;planning;for;and;coordi-nated;responses;to;disaster;situations.
Cheryl;La Touche;is;the;manager;of;busi-ness continuity management within
procurement and supply at Kaiser
Permanente. LaTouche and her team of
business continuity consultants manage
Kaiser;Permanente’s;national;business;continuity;manage-ment;program;which;ensures;planning;for;and;coordinated
responses;to;disaster;situations.
Anatomy of the Program
Kaiser Permanente
n;Nation’s;Largest;not-for-profit;integrated
healthcare;delivery;system
n;Would;be;~;60;on;Fortune;500
n;Nine;states;and;the;District;of;Columbia
n;Nearly;8. 7;million;members
n;Labor;management;partnership
n;35;medical;centers
n;>;430;medical;offices
n;>;14,000;physicians
n;>;159,000;employees
n;>;558,000;surgeries/year
n;>;91,000;deliveries/year
n;>;129;million;prescriptions/year
n;>;36;million;doctor;office;visits/year
