Preliminary Agenda: GHX Summit 2026

General Sessions & Keynotes

Power of Human Will and Resilience

Staff Sergeant Mills of the 82nd Airborne was critically injured by an improvised explosive device. Mills suffered the loss of both arms and both legs. Enduring a grueling rehabilitation program, he committed to giving back to the veteran community any way he could. He and his wife Kelsey founded the Travis Mills Foundation to benefit and assist post- 9/11 veterans who have been injured as a result of their service to our nation.

Speaker: Travis Mills, War Hero, Best-Selling Author

Quality Improvements and Systems Transformations

Serving as the President and CEO of the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), Jordan passionately leads a thriving and growing community of 125,000 healthcare finance management and business professionals. She is a solution-based, systems-oriented strategist. She is dedicated to advancing mission impact and positioning HFMA to meet the opportunities and challenges of the dynamic U.S. healthcare system.

Speaker: Ann Jordan, President and CEO Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), Strategist and Innovator

Clinical Integration & Value-Based Collaboration

From Firehose to Framework: A Better New Product Request Process

Managing new product requests can feel like drinking from a firehose—emails, hallway conversations, one-off clinician asks and even vendor-initiated requests. In this session, attendees will learn practical approaches for building a more structured product-request intake and governance process. Explore evidence review workflows that make decisions more consistent, defensible and transparent. Learn how maturing organizations move toward a more intentional, manageable approval posture by tightening criteria, strengthening multidisciplinary alignment and focusing on unwarranted variation. Walk away with strategies for shifting from clinical preference-driven decisions to evidence-based evaluation and variation management clinicians can trust.

Speakers:
Andria Davis, MBA, CMRP, Director Strategic Sourcing, Contracting and Value, VCU Health
Deborah E. Avalos MBA, MSN, RN, Director of Procurement Services, Northwestern Memorial Healthcare

Moderator: Mallory Garner, Sr. Solutions Advisor, Clinical Integrations, GHX

Clinical Integration as a Culture, Not a Project

Clinical integration isn’t a project you launch and move on from; it’s a culture you build and sustain. This session explores how organizations embed value analysis into governance, workflows and everyday clinical and supply chain decisions so evidence becomes the shared language, not an extra step. Learn how leaders create the conditions for clinician-led, evidence-based decisions to become the default through clear sponsorship, smart engagement strategies and simple communication rhythms that keep teams aligned. Attendees will walk away with practical levers they can apply immediately to accelerate adoption and build durable trust across stakeholders

Speakers:
Kelly Young, Director, Strategic Sourcing, Contracting and Value Analysis, Henry Ford
Pat Patton, MD, FACS, Medical Director of Surgical Services, Henry Ford
Domini Pelkey, Assistant Vice President, Clinical Resource Management, HCA

Moderator: Suzanne Smith, BSN, RN, Principle Solution Advisor

True Value, Defined: Balancing Cost, Outcomes and Variation

Health systems are redefining how they measure value—moving beyond price alone to consider quality, outcomes and utilization. In this session, leaders from large healthcare organizations share how they’re using analytics to reframe sourcing and clinical conversations around total value. Learn how insights into utilization, outcomes and practice variation help align clinicians, finance and supply chain stakeholders, strengthen supplier negotiations, and drive measurable improvements in cost, quality and patient experience.

Speakers:
Patrick Osam, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of CQVA/Supply Chain, Baptist Health, Little Rock
Terry Dewaratanawanich, MMHC, BSN, RN, Sr. Sourcing Officer, Vanderbilt Health

Moderator: Joe Samuels, Sr. Service Line Advisor, GHX

The GTIN Project: Aligning UC Health’s Supply Chain

GS1 Global Trade Item Numbers (GTIN), aligned with the FDA’s UDI rule, are essential to item-level traceability, accurate claims and recall readiness across the supply chain. In this session, UC Health shares how its GTIN initiative became a catalyst for aligning supply chain, financial and clinical processes around a single source of truth. Learn how they partnered with GHX Consulting to integrate GTIN data into Oracle item master and Epic workflows, supporting barcode scanning at the point of care in the OR. Attendees will gain insight into how standardized item data reduced errors, strengthened collaboration and enabled adoption.

Speakers:
Shawn Boyle, Purchasing Analyst, UC Health Cincinnati
Meredith Baker, Director of Value Based Management, Stanford Healthcare

Moderator: McNeil Allison, Director, Consulting Services, GHX

No More Tug-of-War: A Better Provider–Supplier Operating Model

In today’s environment, providers and suppliers need each other—but too often default to guarded, transactional dynamics that slow progress and erode trust. This session explores what it looks like to treat suppliers as true partners: aligning on shared outcomes, establishing operational “rules of engagement” that reduce friction, incorporating vendor credentialing and building feedback loops that prevent small issues from becoming relationship-breaking conflicts. Attendees will also explore how organizations use suppliers as intelligence partners for early signals on personnel changes, shifts in physician purchasing behavior, and market or product disruptions—while still navigating real tensions around compliance, cost and performance.

Speakers:
Jennifer Browne, BSN, RN, CVAHP, Corporate Director, Value Analysis, Lifebridge Health
Meredith Baker, Director of Value Based Management, Stanford Healthcare

Moderator: Suzanne Smith, BSN, RN, Principle Solution Advisor

From Waste to Value: How Clinical Integration & Automation Scale Device Reprocessing

Reprocessed medical devices can deliver meaningful cost savings and sustainability gains—but only when supply chain, clinical teams and operations are aligned. In this panel, leaders from high-performing health systems share how clinical integration and automation helped expand access to reprocessed devices, reduce risk and remove barriers to product availability. Hear practical governance approaches, including multidisciplinary structures, charters and role clarity that hardwire adoption into everyday workflows. Speakers will also share measurable outcomes, including waste diversion and savings, with lessons from award-winning programs such as Providence (GHXellence Sustainability Award, 2025).

Speakers:
Amanda Kim, Program Manager-Reprocessing, Providence Health
Laura Waters, MBA, BSN, RN, CNOR, Senior Manager, Clinical Resource Integration Surgical/Procedural Providence REH Group, Providence Health

Moderator: Guy Love, Director of Business Development, GHX

Digital Transformation & Data Driven Supply Chains

Reshaping Healthcare Financial Efficiency through GHX Invoice and Payment Solutions

Explore the value of using data and analytics to modernize invoice and payment automation. In this session, leaders from Avera Health and Eskenazi Health share how GHX Invoice and Payment solutions are reshaping the landscape for partnership between accounts payable and accounts receivable teams. Learn how the GHX Invoice and Payment Dashboard and advanced automation tools reduce manual work, accelerate payment cycles and streamline financial workflows to unlock strategic value. Attendees will gain insight into how timely and accurate data integration improves invoice-to-pay performance and enhances collaboration across finance, supply chain and trading partners.

Speakers:
Amanda Shaw, Director of Procurement & Sourcing, Eskenazi Health
Kevin Weier, Executive Director of Purchasing and Integration, Avera Health

Moderator: Phil Hill, Product Manager, GHX

Driving Results with Dashboards and Data: Lessons from AdventHealth

For large health systems, data only delivers value when it drives action. In this session AdventHealth shares how it operationalized dashboards and prescriptive analytics to achieve measurable performance improvement–moving from 143rd to 57th among large hospitals in just six months. Learn how GHX Supply Chain Analytics (SCA) and capabilities like Dynamic Reporting can be embedded into daily workflows to turn insight into measurable action at scale. Attendees will see how data and AI can accelerate decision-making and deliver sustained results across complex, multi-state health systems.

Speaker: Sean Bubernak, Director of Master Data and Contract Administration, Advent Health

Moderator: Wally Fong, Strategic Account Director, GHX

Improving Price Accuracy Through Automation and Industry Price Alignment

Price accuracy is foundational to efficient, exception-free procurement. In this session, Emerus Health, Avera and MUSC share how automated price comparison transformed contract price accuracy and reduced exceptions. Learn how receipt of distributor price files from McKesson, Johnson & Johnson and Fisher Scientific supports three-way price comparison and industry price alignment. Through GHX Price Workbench, these organizations have enabled more perfect orders, strengthened ERP system pricing integrity and delivered measurable savings through automation. Providers, suppliers and distributors will gain insight into the role of high-quality contract data in digital transformation and why a connected, data-driven pricing strategy is critical.

Speakers:
Angela Walton, VP of Supply Chain, Emerus Health
Ryan Schaefer, Manager, MMIS, Avera Health
Tim Vierenge, Manager, Analytics & Business Intelligence, Medical University of South Carolina

Modernizing Supply Chain at Scale: What Cloud Migration Really Means for Providers

Supply chain touches more data streams than any other healthcare organization function, making modernization complex and high stakes. In this session, HSHS and Quorum Health reflect on their successfully completed, large-scale cloud ERP migrations within the past 6 months, sharing the decisions and preparations that mattered most. Despite data complexity, operational demands and steep learning curves, both organizations maintained continuity. HSHS sustained an exception rate under 2% during implementation, which is a testament to their attention to detail and commitment to accuracy. Attendees will gain insight into how thoughtful planning and data discipline support successful transformation without disrupting performance.

Speakers:
Bill Hendrickson, Vice President of Supply Chain Operations, Hospital Sisters Health System
Angela Jager, System Director, Supply Chain / Procurement, Hospital Sisters Health System
Kim Milliken, Supply Chain Project Lead, Quorum Health

Moderator: Christine Karlman, Senior Consultant, GHX

Insights Beyond Attributes: Master Data Management (MDM) Strategies That Raise the Bar

Master Data Management (MDM) is gaining renewed focus in the current environment of supply chain volatility and complexity with the rapidly increasing need for trusted ERP data to support resilient procurement and contracting operations. This session explores how to achieve best-in-class MDM that strengthens supply chain operations for today’s demands. Learn practical tips to enhance item master governance and utilization, item data integrity and contract alignment, which serve as the foundation for a strong, MDM-driven supply chain.

Speakers:
Franco Sagliocca, MBA, FACHE, Corporate Director, Mount Sinai Health System
Les Grant, VP Supply Chain, Beth Israel Lahey Health
Vishal Goel, MBA, PMP, Senior Director, Supply Chain, Mount Sinai Health System

Moderator: McNeil Allison, Director, Consulting Services, GHX

The Data Behind Resiliency: AI in Action with Sarasota and LeeSar

Supply disruptions, product changes, backorders and substitutions continue to challenge the healthcare supply chain, with GHX seeing up to 1 million backorder events each month. How can we break the reactive cycle? In this session, Sarasota Memorial Health Care and LeeSar share how they partnered to pilot GHX Resiliency Center, helping bring a powerful two-sided communication hub to life for the entire GHX community. Learn how real-time visibility, substitute guidance and scalable communication tools reduce operational noise, protect revenue, and enable providers and suppliers to act with confidence during uncertainty.

Speakers:
Troy Kirchenbauer, Vice President, Technology, LeeSar and Cooperative Services of Florida
Sarah Wickwire, Lead Supply Chain Analyst, Sarasota Memorial Health Care System

Moderator: Brandi Waters, Associate Product Manager, GHX

Operational Excellence & Performance Improvement

Progress to Perfection: KARL STORZ’s Digital Order Transformation

In this session, KARL STORZ shares how it is leveraging automation, analytics and cross-functional collaboration to unlock new levels of operational performance and improve customer satisfaction. Learn how the company’s 2024 perfect order initiative elevated order accuracy, speed and efficiency across the order lifecycle. By focusing on four critical levers, the initiative reduced order friction (5.5% perfect price rate increase), improved automation (11% projected YoY growth) and enhanced the customer experience. Attendees will gain practical, transferable ideas and renewed confidence that meaningful progress comes from aligning teams around shared goals and success metrics – as opposed to boiling the ocean.

Speakers:
Carlene Meyer, Senior Operations Manager, E-Commerce, Customer Support, KARL STORZ

Medtronic: Driving Perfect Orders and Faster Cash Through Smarter Collaboration

What happens when operational excellence and financial discipline align? In this session, Medtronic shares how it is improving perfect order performance while optimizing cash flow through deeper digital engagement with customers. Explore the role of automation, electronic payments, credentialing and EDI partnerships in reducing friction, lowering DSO and scaling touchless transactions. Attendees will gain actionable insights into how providers and suppliers can work together more effectively to build business relationships that are simpler, faster and mutually beneficial.

Speakers:
Patrick Schott, Sr. Director, Global Regions Customer Care & Order Operations, Medtronic
Shuming Luo, Sr. Finance Manager, Global Credit Services, Medtronic

Moderator: Denise Odenkirk, Vice President of Supplier Sales, GHX

Driving Operational Excellence in Pediatric Supply Chain

Pediatric supply chains demand an intentional approach to accuracy, governance and supplier alignment. Join Children’s Nebraska to learn how they increased EDI adoption from 51% to 72% and improved perfect order rate from 85% to nearly 95%. By addressing pricing, unit-of-measure and item accuracy exceptions, partnering closely with accounts payable, and leveraging GHX ResiliencyAI insights to focus on high-impact opportunities, they reduced manual work, boosted invoice match rates from 88% to 98%, and strengthened end-to-end automation. This session shares the operational playbook and leadership approach behind these measurable, sustainable results.

Speaker: Natalie Hughes, Manager, Value Analysis & Purchasing, Children's Nebraska

Moderator: Sezin Kilincci, Manager, Content Consulting, GHX

Resolving Invoice Barriers Upstream: UPMC's Supplier Collaboration Strategy

Provider accounts payable (AP) and supplier accounts receivable (AR) teams may sit at opposite ends of the payment process, but the friction between them often begins long before an invoice is issued. In this session, UPMC Manager, Procure to Pay, Natalie Haubach shares how intentional upstream alignment with suppliers—across shared data, standardized processes and collaboration supported by GHX platforms—has helped reduce downstream impacts. Attendees will gain actionable insights to minimize rework, improve cash flow and strengthen supplier/provider relationships before invoice issues escalate into prolonged AP/AR stalemates.

Speaker: Natalie Haubach, Manager, Procure to Pay, UPMC

Moderator: Jeff Giles, ePay Customer Development Manager, GHX

From Manual to Scalable: Building Operational Excellence that Lasts

What does life look like before order-to-cash automation? And how do teams justify and sustain the investment over time? In this panel, three suppliers share their journeys from manual, resource-strained operations to scalable, efficient workflows. Arthrex and AtriCure reflect on early decision drivers and initial wins, while Merit Medical explores how long-tail order automation continues to unlock measurable savings, efficiency, and growth even with a lean team. Attendees will gain practical insights into operational excellence that resonates with both commercial performance and customer service excellence.

Speakers:
Jenn Reagan, Director - Customer Service Operations, Arthrex
Gina Martin, Sr. Director, Sales Support for U.S, Asia and Americas, AtriCure
Heather Peeters, Manager, Customer Service, Merit Medical

Moderator: Danie Brown, Manager of Small & Medium Business Sales-USA, GHX

Breaking Down Barriers to Achieve Higher Perfect Order Rates

Providers, suppliers and distributors are working toward more touchless order-to-payment processes to improve efficiency and enhance staff and customer experience. Hear from HSS, B. Braun Medical and Cardinal Health on how closer collaboration and the AI-powered Perfect Order Dashboard are helping identify root causes, guide next steps and increase perfect order rates. Two of these partners are also working together to significantly reduce price related exceptions by strengthening price alignment and improving data accuracy across systems—resulting in smoother order flow and fewer disruptions. Join this session to learn how to replicate their success.

Speakers:
Jeremy How, Corporate Vice President, Sales Operations, B. Braun Medical USA
Kim Oblinger, Kim Oblinger, Cardinal Health
Matthew Vaccarino, Director, Strategic Sourcing, Hospital for Special Surgery

Moderator: Jackie Coles, Customer Success Manager, GHX

From Risk to Readiness

From Audit Flag to Risk Shield: UW Medicine's Supply Chain Quality Program

In today’s high-risk healthcare environment, reactive supply chain operations increase exposure to compliance failures, patient safety events and financial loss. In this session, UW Medicine shares how it transformed internal audit findings into a proactive supply chain quality management (QM) program, driving reliability, accountability and risk reduction. Learn how structured process audits, executive governance and data-driven oversight improved perfect order performance to 97.5%, reduced invoice and inventory risk, and strengthened Joint Commission outcomes. Attendees will gain practical guidance on identifying high-risk processes, establishing sustainable executive oversight and embedding quality into daily supply chain operations to support resilient patient care.

Speakers:
Kamalpreet Dhillon, Assistant Director of Strategic Operations, UW Medicine
Stephanie Hughes, Sr. Project Manager, Strategic Sourcing, UW Medicine

From Guesswork to Governance: Building Resilient Inventory Operations

Inventory visibility is critical to clinical continuity and operational stability. In this panel discussion, leaders from multiple health systems examine how inaccurate data, siloed workflows and manual processes introduce clinical, financial and operational risk. Learn how organizations have redesigned inventory management to be more predictive, automated and adaptable - even during compelling events such as mergers and cloud migrations. Attendees will gain insight into practical strategies that minimize clinical disruption, strengthen governance and support a more transparent and resilient supply chain.

Speakers:
Lloyd Gravois, AVP Supply Chain-Logistics, Ochsner
Dr. Casey Sowers, Senior Manager, Contracting, UHealth

Rethinking Vendor Access: Building Safer, Stronger Healthcare Partnerships

Every vendor representative who enters a healthcare facility becomes part of the care environment. In this session, Inova shares how a modern, structured approach to vendor access and credentialing strengthens partnerships while protecting patients, clinicians, data and the healthcare mission. Learn why regulated access is not about restriction, but about accountability, transparency and trust. Attendees will gain insight into how centralized credentialing, purpose-driven access and clear governance reduce risk, support compliance, protect clinical workflows and create a more collaborative, resilient foundation for long-term vendor relationships.

Speakers:
Allen Wish, Senior Director of Strategic Sourcing and Clinical Value Analysis, Inova Health System
Kellen Painter, Director, Strategic Sourcing and Clinical Value Analysis, Inova Health System

Disaster preparedness strategy: Fortifying Supply Chain Resilience

This session explores lessons learned from enacting supply chain downtime procedures and discusses the strategic steps of preparation, detection, containment and post-incident activities. Learn how strategic partnerships with Medline and GHX support continuity of inventory during times of extended disruption in order to maintain uninterrupted patient care. Attendees will gain practical insights into building stronger preparedness and response plans to navigate future unknowns.

Speakers:
Brent N. Pacanowski, System Director, Supply Chain, Norton Healthcare
Alexander Semonite, Senior Director, Supply Chain Optimization, Medline

From Data to Direction: How Prisma & Centra Health Transformed Supply Chain Performance

In today’s healthcare supply chain, clean data, disciplined processes and a shared vision with strategic technology partners are no longer aspirational - they’re essential to managing spend. In this session, Prisma and Centra Health share how supply chain leaders drove bold change and continuous improvement to challenge the status quo. With an imperative on keeping an open mind and dialogue with our technology partners, together, we created a technology road map with an aligned vision of reducing supply chain costs while providing the highest level of patient care. Discover how real-time communication, formulary controls and role-based access empower end users and drive measurable performance improvement.

Speakers:
Berri Heinz, CMRP, Director of Capital Procurement, Prisma Health
Allison Deaton, CH Strategic Sourcing, Centra
Amy Banks, Director of Accounts Payable, Prisma Health

Strategic Leadership & Industry Outlook

Industry Outlook: Empowering Women Leaders Across the Healthcare Supply Chain

Representation matters—and so does investing in the skills that prepare women to lead. Leaders from Professional Women in Healthcare (PWH) share insights on developing and supporting the next generation of women leaders across provider, supplier, and GPO communities. This session explores the critical role of mentorship, allyship and sponsorship, while emphasizing the importance of intentionally investing in leadership and communication skills to accelerate career growth and organizational impact.

Attendees will gain practical strategies for strengthening executive presence, influencing with confidence and building inclusive leadership pipelines through recruitment, development and advancement initiatives. The session also highlights how gender-diverse leadership drives innovation, collaboration and performance—and how organizations can translate these principles into measurable leadership and workforce outcomes.

Speakers:
Vicky Lyle, PWH Strategic Oversight Chair, Professional Women in Healthcare (PWH)
Ashleigh McLaughlin, PWH Chair, Professional Women in Healthcare (PWH)

Moderator: Sophie Rutherford, Strategic Account Director-Provider, GHX

Medtronic and Cleveland Clinic: Building Shared Intelligence with OTIF

What happens when providers and suppliers speak the same language of performance? In this session, leaders from Medtronic and Cleveland Clinic examine how the On Time in Full (OTIF) metric is redefining collaboration across the healthcare supply chain. Learn how a cross-industry coalition co-developed a shared standard, guided GHX’s product roadmap and built a foundation for innovation. Attendees will gain insight into how shared data enables greater trust, accountability and resilience—turning fragmented information into actionable intelligence across the ecosystem.

Speakers:
Geoff Gates, Senior Director, SCSS P2P & Technology, Cleveland Clinic
Julie Jenison, Americas EDI & OCR Channel Lead, Medtronic

Industry Outlook: From Cost to Care Excellence: Applying the AHVAP Standards of Practice to Facilitate Evidence-Based Decision Making

In this leadership-track session, AHVAP will share practical principles leaders can apply to strengthen value decisions at any level of value analysis maturity. Representatives from AHVAP will focus on the foundations that create durable clinical buy-in: clear governance, stakeholder alignment and unbiased, trusted data that supports confident decision-making, anchored in AHVAP’s Standards of Practice and value analysis positioning statements. The conversation will connect these practices to executive priorities beyond cost savings, including patient safety, quality outcomes and clinician engagement — and how organizations can embed value analysis principles into the structures they already have.

Speaker: J. Hudson Garrett Jr.Ph.D., Executive Director and Executive Vice President, Association of Healthcare Value Analysis Professionals, Inc.

From Innovation to Impact: Advancing Federal Healthcare Supply Chains

Federal healthcare supply chains are undergoing rapid digital transformation driven by advanced analytics, automation, AI and cloud technologies. In this session, leaders from the Defense Health Agency, TISTA Science & Technology Corp. and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs share how they evaluate emerging trends, pilot and scale new solutions, and translate data and market signals into actionable modernization strategies. Learn how agencies navigate legacy systems, build enterprise data foundations, align stakeholders and prepare the workforce while maintaining mission focus. Attendees will gain practical insight into moving from exploration to execution to build smarter, more resilient federal healthcare supply chains.

Speakers:
Derek Cooper, Chief, Medical Materiel & Standardization Division, J-4, Defense Health Agency
Jennifer Kuntz, Program Manager, Medical Logistics IT PMO, J-6, Defense Health Agency
Dave Hammer, Deputy Director, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Dave Sloniker, VP, Supply Chain Management, TISTA Science & Technology Corporation

Moderator: JP Rogers - Strategic Integration Lead, Medical Logistics IT PMO, Defense Health Agency

Achieving Top Supply Chain Performance: Gartner, Premier & Provider Insights

In this session, Gartner, Premier, Stanford Health Care, and The University of Kansas Health System will examine what differentiates top-performing supply chains and what it takes to achieve and sustain that level of performance. Gartner will discuss the capabilities and behaviors common to organizations recognized in the Gartner® Healthcare Supply Chain Top 25, while Premier will share insights from Premier’s 100 Top Hospitals® Program. As a current Top 25 organization, Stanford Health Care will highlight the strategies and operating model driving sustained enterprise impact. The University of Kansas Health System will share its journey toward top-tier performance and practical lessons for advancing supply chain maturity.

Speakers:
Salil Joshi, Senior Director, Analyst in Gartner's Supply Chain practice, Gartner
Tara Bain, MBA, BSN, RN, CPHQ, Vice President and Executive Director of 100 Top Hospitals, Premier
Omar Devlin, Executive Director Supply Chain Technology & Analytics, Stanford Health Care
Janie Ott, Vice President of Supply Chain, The University of Kansas Health System

Moderator: Hitch Pursel, Executive Director- Provider Sales, GHX

Winners Circle

From Strategy to Impact: Sustainability in the Healthcare Supply Chain

Because GHXcellence Award winners are announced at Summit, the organization and speaker for these can’t-miss sessions will be revealed at the event.

Sustainability is central to healthcare’s mission to improve community health. In this session, a GHXcellence award-winning provider organization shares how it advanced environmental practices to reduce impact and improve resource efficiency across its supply chain. Learn how the team embedded environmental stewardship into key processes to institutionalize sustainability at scale. Speakers will share metrics demonstrating progress in reducing waste, along with practical insights for building sustainable supply chain programs that drive measurable environmental and operational results.

Driving Operational Excellence Through Digital Transformation: Provider How to Guide

Because GHXcellence Award winners are announced at Summit, the organization and speaker for these can’t-miss sessions will be revealed at the event.

Operational excellence depends on reliable, scalable processes across the healthcare enterprise. In this session, a GHXcellence award-winning provider shares how supply chain digital transformation throughout the procure-to-pay cycle improved efficiency and generated savings. Gain actionable insight into how digital supply chain strategies drive measurable improvements while supporting consistent, scalable performance.

Collaboration & Partnership: Driving Shared Performance Excellence

Because GHXcellence Award winners are announced at Summit, the organization and speaker for these can’t-miss sessions will be revealed at the event.

Provider/supplier partnerships are essential to optimizing performance and supporting the needs of patients and communities. In this session, a GHXcellence award-winning provider organization shares how sustained collaboration, shared ownership and strong governance drive measurable impact. Explore strategic approaches that move partnerships beyond transactions, creating shared value through trust, alignment and shared responsibility.

Elevating the Clinically Integrated Supply Chain: How to Progress on the Maturity Curve

Because GHXcellence Award winners are announced at Summit, the organization and speaker for these can’t-miss sessions will be revealed at the event.

Clinical integration is a core component of a mature healthcare supply chain. In this session, a GHXcellence award-winning provider organization shares how they have advanced along the maturity curve to establish a clinically integrated model. Learn practical tips for aligning clinical and supply chain stakeholders around data-driven, evidence-based decisions that help redesign care and strengthen performance.

Advancing Innovation in Healthcare Supply Chain: An Award-Winning Provider Approach

Because GHXcellence Award winners are announced at Summit, the organization and speaker for these can’t-miss sessions will be revealed at the event.

Innovation in healthcare supply chain requires bold thinking and the courage to challenge traditional approaches. In this session, a GHXcellence award-winning provider shares how it solved complex challenges through new ideas, processes, and technologies that delivered measurable results. Discover how innovative supply chain strategies can drive operational performance and support better patient care across your organization.

Smarter Supply Chains: Using AI to Predict, Prevent and Power Performance

This hands-on session shows users how AI can improve daily supply chain operations—surfacing risks and optimizing purchasing decisions. Participants will walk through practical examples using real workflows to see how advanced insights can reduce the risk of stockouts and waste and improve contract compliance. Learn how to interpret AI recommendations, configure alerts and measure impact on KPIs. Ideal for provider and supplier teams exploring how next-generation automation can extend what they’re already doing today, this session helps users translate AI from concept to real-world performance gains across their organizations.

Speaker: Jayne Nelson, Sr. Solution Engineer, GHX

Data That Delivers: How a Clean Item Master Drives Better Decisions and Savings

A clean item master is the foundation of an efficient supply chain—yet maintaining one can feel overwhelming. In this interactive workshop, users will learn proven techniques for identifying duplicates, correcting attributes and standardizing data across facilities. We’ll walk through hands-on exercises showing how improved data quality drives better purchasing, accurate analytics and stronger clinical alignment. Participants will explore tools for automated validation, ongoing cleansing and governance best practices that keep the item master “evergreen.” Leave with a clear roadmap for turning data accuracy into measurable cost savings and operational stability.

Speaker: Jayne Nelson, Sr. Solution Engineer, GHX

Mastering Complex Bill Only Orders: Strategies to Streamline, Standardize and Save

Bill Only workflows often create delays, inaccuracies and unnecessary expense. This session, designed for providers and suppliers alike, gives users practical, step-by-step methods to simplify the entire Bill Only process—from vendor engagement and documentation capture to pricing validation and match rates. Participants will practice using tools that automate intake, ensure real-time visibility and enforce standard procedures. Learn how to reduce manual touches, eliminate invoice discrepancies and strengthen compliance across departments. Whether your organization struggles with variability or volume, this workshop equips you with repeatable, standardized processes that improve speed, accuracy and savings for high-value implant and specialty orders.

Speaker: April Imel, Sr. Solution Engineer, GHX

Exception Management Mastery: Tools to Align Price, Data and Exceptions

Take control of the most frustrating part of the procure-to-pay cycle: exceptions. This hands-on workshop—relevant to teams on both the provider and supplier side—walks users through real scenarios involving pricing mismatches, contract gaps, missing data and receiving discrepancies. Participants will learn how to use exception management tools to pinpoint root causes, automate corrections and prevent issues from recurring. Explore dashboards, workflows and rules that align contract pricing, item data and vendor practices across the system. By the end, users will understand how to reduce cycle times, improve match rates and regain staff capacity with more predictable, exception-free processes.

Speaker: Alex Thomas. Sr. Solution Engineer, GHX

Automation Without Limits: The Supplier Playbook for End-to-End Digital Orders

Designed for suppliers, this session provides an in-depth look at how to achieve true, scalable order automation with provider partners. Participants will walk through real configuration workflows that eliminate manual order touches and ensure clean data exchange. The session also highlights how automation analytics can be created and used, along with best practices that increase provider adoption. Whether the goal is higher EDI utilization, fewer order discrepancies or full straight-through processing, this session equips supplier teams with the insight needed to deliver reliable, end-to-end digital ordering.

Speakers: Andrea Bundermann, Sr. Solution Engineer, GHX

Insight to Action: A Connected Invoice-to-Payment Journey for Providers and Suppliers

Behind every invoice and every payment is a story that connects providers and suppliers. When parts of that story are manual, friction grows for both sides. This session demonstrates how GHX helps organizations automate the steps of the invoice-to-pay cycle. Participants will see how these automated flows come together in the GHX Invoice & Payment Dashboard—a shared view that reveals exceptions, cash-flow patterns, rebate opportunities and payment timing. In a hands-on breakout, attendees will learn how to navigate the dashboard to gain insight that drives action, and how automation and visibility create more predictable, collaborative relationships.

Speaker: Trudy Lotter, Sr. Solution Engineer, GHX

How UPMC Leverages the GHX Marketplace to Modernize Its Mergers & Acquisitions Playbook

Discover actionable strategies for using the GHX Marketplace to speed integration, simplify supply chain operations, and confidently onboard new business units. Learn from real-world experiences and proven best practices that have enabled UPMC to centralize item data, drive enterprise-wide standardization, and increase visibility across a rapidly expanding health system—directly from power users applying these approaches every day.

Speakers:
Bailey Caffrey, Business Analyst, UPMC
Marianne Rolin, Manager SCM Systems, UPMC

Moderator: Michael Ferguson, Customer Success Executive, GHX

Optimizing Item Master Workflows with GHX Exchange & Marketplace

Hear from Eskanazi Health System on how they are optimizing their item master strategy by leveraging the combined strengths of GHX Exchange and Marketplace. Discover how shifting from resource-heavy manual management to hosted content helps reduce operational burden, improve accuracy and streamline updates across the supply chain. Acquire actionable knowledge—including practical steps and lessons learned—and gain deeper, real-world advice from teams who have navigated this transition. Connect with peers using the same tools for shared learning and collaboration.

Speakers:
Sigfrido “Frido” Pagan, Vice President of Supply Chain, Eskenazi Health
Eileen Rivera-Lane, Business Analyst-CSO, Eskenazi Health

Moderator: Laura Hombs, Customer Success Manager, GHX

Optimizing Rush Orders: Reducing Risk While Accelerating Workflow

Join leading supply chain teams as they share proven strategies to streamline rush orders without sacrificing accuracy or compliance. Learn how suppliers and providers are collaborating to reduce errors, improve turnaround times and leverage GHX tools for maximum efficiency. Gain practical, real-world advice on avoiding common pitfalls, aligning supplier-provider communication, and implementing automation and data integrity principles. You'll also hear tips from experienced power users and have opportunities to compare approaches with peers facing similar, high-pressure ordering challenges.

Speakers:
Drew Fite, Roche Diagnostics
Ben Molter, Roche Diagnostics

Moderator: Kara Lynn, Customer Success Manager, GHX

New Rules of Vendor Engagement: Stanford's Approach to Value Analysis & Credentialing

Join Stanford Health Care to learn how its team transformed vendor engagement into a more streamlined, collaborative process—reducing delays, minimizing back-and-forth, and improving outcomes across both value analysis and credentialing workflows. As provider organizations face pressures to move faster while managing growing complexity across value analysis, credentialing, supply chain, compliance and clinical alignment, misalignment with vendors remains a common source of friction. This session shares real-world, practical lessons on strengthening provider/vendor alignment for improved operational performance.

Speaker: Meredith Baker, Director of Value Based Management, Standford Health

Moderator: Suzanne Smith, BSN, RN, Principle Solution Advisor, GHX

Turning Insight into Impact: Evidence-Led Strategic Sourcing

Learn how the Vanderbilt Health team is elevating their best-in-class performance by leaving behind legacy sourcing practices and embracing evidence-based insights to inform strategic initiatives. Discover why success centers on clinician-driven decision-making paired with a conscious understanding and commitment to contract compliance. Gain deeper perspective from those who've implemented these methods – including lessons learned, practical tips and opportunities to engage with peers who use similar sourcing tools and framework.

Speaker: Terry Dewaratanawanich, MMHC, BSN, RN, Sr. Sourcing Officer, Vanderbilt Health

Moderator: Andrew Fowler, Solution Advisor, GHX

Elevating eInvoicing Performance: Supplier Strategies Unplugged

Join Smith + Nephew for a supplier eInvoicing panel discussion where they will share real-world strategies for implementing, streamlining and scaling eInvoicing processes across diverse business models. Discover what’s worked (and what hasn’t) when it comes to invoice automation, including lessons learned when managing exceptions and ensuring invoice-to-order alignment. Walk away with provider and supplier collaboration tips to accelerate eInvoicing adoption and measure ROI—time savings, error reduction and improved payment cycle visibility. Gain insights from experienced power users and the opportunity to compare approaches with peers.

Speaker: Daniel “Danny” Stehle, Manager, Global Customer Care, Order Automation, Smith & Nephew

Moderator: Hallie Torrence, Customer Success Manager, GHX

GHX + Infor User Group

GHX + Oracle User Group

GHX + Workday User Group

Evening Events

Join us for three enjoyable and relaxing evening events—a wonderful way to unwind after busy days and connect with fellow Summit attendees. Further details will be announced closer to the event.

WELCOME RECEPTION IN SUMMIT CENTRAL | Monday, May 11

Welcome to New Orleans and GHX Summit 2026! Reconnect with familiar faces and forge new connections with colleagues, friends and GHX associates. Enjoy delicious appetizers and refreshing drinks as you explore Summit Central.

EVENING AT GENERATIONS HALL | Tuesday, May 12

Join us for an unforgettable evening at Generations Hall! More information to come!

THE FINAL NIGHT NETWORKING DINNER | Wednesday, May 13

As we approach the final half day on Thursday, take the time to celebrate our last night in New Orleans! Join us for an enjoyable culinary experience and a chance to reconnect with friends and colleagues for some fun. This evening provides another great opportunity to meet more industry peers before we head home. Additional details TBA.

Summit Central

Summit Central is a vibrant space where you can network and enhance your learning experience. Drop in anytime, except during General Session, to take advantage of valuable resources and connections.

Solution Zone – Spend one-on-one time with GHX product experts to ask questions, explore best practices, and gain hands-on knowledge about GHX solutions.
GHX Innovation – Unlock the full potential of GHX solutions by learning how they work together to drive digital transformation and help strengthen the patient-centered business of healthcare.
GHX Shop – Redeem points earned throughout the GHX Summit and pick from a selection of unique take-home items. Or choose to convert your points to a donation benefiting one of several nonprofit community impact organizations.