Clinicians at Ochsner Health are deeply involved in the supply chain in a variety of strategic and operational ways. Their involvement is structured, intentional, and central to the system’s goals of improving quality, safety, and value in patient care. Here’s how clinicians are involved:

Nattie Leger, a former emergency department nurse and now Vice President of Supply Chain, brings her clinical experience to her leadership role. Her background enables her to bridge clinical and supply chain operations, ensuring supply decisions are informed by patient care realities. 

Ochsner’s supply chain has two integrated "legs": operational and clinical. Leger leads the clinical leg, which works closely with operations. Clinicians are engaged to evaluate how products and services impact patient care, helping to guide decisions on technology, supplies, and care redesign.

Leger’s team includes a mix of clinicians: respiratory therapists, medical directors, surgical techs, and nurses from key departments (e.g., OR, ICU). This team offers ongoing clinical feedback and enables medically informed discussions to support supply chain decisions.

Some other key points from the recent article in The Journal of Healthcare Contracting:

Clinician Involvement in Value Analysis

• Ochsner embeds value analysis into service line councils (e.g., orthopedic, neurosurgery), going beyond a traditional committee approach.
• Clinicians participate in assessing whether a product or service supports the quadruple aim (better care, cost-efficiency, patient experience, and provider well-being).
• Their input ensures decisions aren’t based solely on cost, but on quality, safety, and effectiveness.

Supporting Innovation and Care Redesign

• Clinicians help identify and evaluate new technologies and approaches, such as exploring improvements in dialysis delivery.
• Their insights help align supply chain decisions with emerging clinical needs and innovations in care delivery.

Real-Time Engagement and Flexibility

• Clinicians are involved in dynamic, real-time discussions to address challenges like product shortages or changing protocols.
• Leger emphasizes the need to accommodate clinicians’ schedules and integrate their feedback despite day-to-day pressures and emergencies.

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