Taking The Supply Chain Pulse

Hosted by St. Onge

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Latest episode

Jun 2026

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EN-US

About the show

St. Onge’s Healthcare Hall of Famer and industry icon, Fred Crans, chats with leaders from all areas of healthcare to discuss the issues of today's- threats, challenges and emerging trends and technologies in a lighthearted and engaging manner. ENGINEERING A BETTER HEALTHCARE SYSTEM We provide comprehensive planning and design services to develop world-class facilities and highly effective support services operations. Our capabilities in hospital supply chain consulting include applied industrial engineering, lean methodologies, systems thinking, and operations research to enable improved patient care and staff satisfaction. We are proud to have worked with over 100 hospitals, including 18 of the top 22 in the US, utilizing diverse design strategies, post-construction implementation, and change management.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 4, 202641 min

Kim Jones on Sterile Processing Improvements That Drive OR Efficiency

Encore Episode: We talk with sterile processing expert Kim Jones about why central sterile is the hidden driver of operating room performance and patient safety. This conversation is still highly relevant as health systems continue to face OR efficiency and staffing challenges.how Kim transitioned from HR into sterile processing leadership and educationhow certification and education directly impact performance and team pridewhy small breakdowns in SPD drive major OR delays and disrupt surgical scheduleswhere OR, sterile processing, and supply chain fall out of sync and how communication gaps create ripple effectshow to build trust with surgeons through stronger partnerships and visible OR leadership supportwhat audits at leading health systems reveal, including outdated assumptions about SPD performancewhy Lean efforts break down when point-of-use cleaning and tray completeness are inconsistenthow traditional staffing models miss complexity and why volume alone is misleadingwhere robotics and automation can improve safety, reduce injuries, and increase throughputhow traveler pay gaps and post-pandemic dynamics are fueling ongoing retention challengeshow to confidently make the case to the C-suite using both data and real operational constraintsSubscribe: Don't forget to hit that subscribe button and connect with us online so you'll never miss an episode and can catch up on all the ones we might have missed. Got a topic you're fired up about, or maybe you want to be a guest on the show? I would love to hear from you. Just reach out atfcrans@stonge.com. Send us Fan Mail

May 21, 202633 min

Why “I’m Never Leaving” Means They’re Gone

We sit down with Scott Becker of Becker’s Healthcare to talk about what his daily view of the industry reveals about closures, staffing gaps, and the real-world squeeze on access to care. We also dig into why great events and clear writing still matter, then hear how Scott approaches building businesses through momentum, setbacks, and scaling. • rural and community hospital closures and the downstream impact on access • how Becker’s Healthcare curates short-form healthcare business news for busy leaders • why conferences work when they prioritize peers, learning, and networking • the growing shortage of specialists across the country and what it means for patients • healthcare costs, healthcare inflation, and the rise of tiered care including concierge medicine • prevention as a priority but not a substitute for doctors and nurses • Scott’s new book Building Great Businesses and the craft of writing in your own voice Don’t forget to hit that subscribe button and connect with us online so you’ll never miss an episode and can catch up on all the ones you might have missed. Got a topic you’re fired up about, or maybe you want to be a guest on the show? Fred would love to hear from you. Just reach out at fcrans@stonge.com.Send us Fan Mail

May 7, 202634 min

How Non-Clinical Procurement Boosts Hospital Margins

We talk with David Kirshner about why healthcare CFOs are facing extreme margin pressure and why supply chain has become a strategic tool for survival. We map out how to find savings beyond clinical supplies by using better data, tighter contracting, and real cross-department partnerships. • health systems moving from thriving to barely surviving as margins compress • why CFO sponsorship matters when expanding supply chain influence • defining non-clinical and indirect procurement across IT, facilities, energy, marketing, corporate services, and legal • using accounts payable and spend analytics to uncover vendor sprawl and contract gaps • the “$1 saved equals $20 revenue” logic and why expense work wins fast • raising expectations with vendors through competitive sourcing and respectful collaboration • using a supply chain maturity model to move from good to great • mentoring the next generation of data-driven supply chain leaders Don't forget to hit that subscribe button and connect with us online so you'll never miss an episode and can catch up on all the ones you might have missed. Got a topic you're fired up about, or maybe you want to be a guest on the show? Fred would love to hear from you. Just reach out at fcrans@stonge.comSend us Fan Mail

April 23, 202634 min

A Clinician’s Business Mindset Can Transform Hospital Supply Chains

A lot of supply chain leaders can talk strategy. Far fewer can trace it back to what happens when a patient is on the table and a team cannot afford a single shortcut. That’s why this conversation with Joseph Carr, Vice President and Supply Chain Leader at Akron Children’s Hospital, lands differently. Joseph started his healthcare career as a registered nurse in the operating room, then carried that clinical urgency into healthcare supply chain, strategic sourcing, and hospital operations leadership.We walk through the career moves that shaped his toolkit: an MBA and finance background, early work helping build a clinically integrated supply chain model at Mayo Clinic, exposure to Lean and DMAIC problem-solving, and the reality of performance-managed systems where metrics drive accountability. Along the way, we get concrete lessons on change management using ADKAR, why data access changes everything, and how missteps like a poorly handled glove conversion reveal the real cost of ignoring clinician voice.Then we bring it home to pediatric healthcare. Joseph explains what makes children’s hospitals unique, from pediatric-specific procedures to the full patient and family experience, and why children’s hospitals can get squeezed on pricing due to GPO tier structures and smaller spend buckets. At Akron Children’s, he shares how a supportive culture and clinical collaboration helped launch the Commit for Kids sourcing strategy, expand category reviews at scale, invest in technology and ERP modernization, and use Lean projects to lock in best practices before bigger system shifts.If you care about healthcare supply chain transformation, pediatric hospital operations, and building a strategic supply chain that clinicians actually trust, listen through to the end. Subscribe, share this with a colleague, and leave a review with one question you want us to tackle next.Send us Fan Mail

April 9, 202638 min

How The Bellwether League Honors Healthcare Supply Chain Leaders

We sit down with Rick Barlow to unpack why the Bellwether League Foundation exists and what it takes to honor healthcare supply chain leaders the right way. We trace the Hall of Fame’s origin story, the real world hurdles behind building a nonprofit, and why recognition can be the difference between losing talent and keeping it.• Bellwether League Foundation mission as a healthcare supply chain nonprofit • Why the “bellwether” name ties to lighthouse leadership • How a research project and a baseball Hall of Fame debate sparked the idea • Early challenges launching the organization including legal setup, banking hurdles, and the 2008 crash • Why healthcare supply chain leaders often stay unknown despite massive impact • Historic and unexpected inductees including Clara Barton and early GPO roots • How Bellwether Honorees, Future Famers, and the Dean S. Ammer award differ • How the foundation is funded through corporate and individual support • What BLFIR is and what happens at the annual induction event • “Goes Back to School” campus outreach to grow healthcare supply chain talent • SCMAT maturity assessment tool as an operations improvement path • How to get involved by attending, nominating, volunteering, or sponsoring • Why the nomination process is designed for credibility over reputation And don't forget to hit that subscribe button and connect with us online so you'll never miss an episode and can catch up on all the ones you might have missed. Got a topic you're fired up about, or maybe you want to be a guest on the show? Fred would love to hear from you. Just reach out at fcrans@stonge.com.Send us Fan Mail

March 26, 202636 min

Data Only Helps When The Data Is True

We’ve lived through a supply chain time warp in healthcare: from clipboards and carbon-copy purchase orders to scanners, dashboards, and automation. Fred sits down with Tracy Cleveland, VP of Supply Chain at Munson Healthcare, to get honest about what actually improved, what still feels broken, and why the “latest tech” only works when the data behind it is clean. If you care about hospital operations, procurement, logistics, or inventory management, this conversation is packed with real-world details that go beyond slogans.We talk about technology that protects people as much as it boosts productivity, including labor-assist tools and a robotic pallet wrapper that cuts waste and prevents injuries. Then we wade into the uncomfortable middle ground of supplier relationships: are partnerships a strategic advantage, or do they risk leaving money on the table? Tracy shares why many organizations still default to an adversarial mindset, and why collaboration matters more as hospital margins tighten and expectations keep rising.From there we zoom out to industry-wide benchmarking, why common supply chain metrics are so hard to standardize, and why regional peer comparisons can be more useful than national averages. We also explore deferred infrastructure investment like docks, elevators, and sterile processing, plus the post-pandemic need for end-to-end supply chain transparency, including one example of catching counterfeit product before it ever reached patients. Finally, we address hiring and retention, remote work, and what it takes to build a strong supply chain team in a challenging labor market.If this helped you think differently about healthcare supply chain strategy, subscribe, share the episode with a colleague, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.Send us Fan Mail

March 12, 202633 min

What If Trust Was The Real Cost Saver

We talk with Joe Colonna about how value analysis in the healthcare supply chain creates better decisions by balancing clinical outcomes with financial reality. We also reflect on Bill McFaul's legacy and why trust, inclusion, and change management matter as much as pricing. • Bill McFaul's mentorship and his lasting impact on healthcare value analysis • Value analysis as a holistic method beyond product standardization • Demand matching and using premium products only where needed • Building consensus so clinicians and supply chain own the decision • Why “new product review” is not the same as value analysis • The shadow supply chain and the cost of unmanaged inventory and obsolescence • Educating frontline teams so they can explain changes and surface problems early • Recognizing supply chain work that stays invisible when it runs well don't forget to hit that subscribe button and connect with us online so you'll never miss an episode and can catch up on all the ones you might have missed. Got a topic you're fired up about, or maybe you want to be a guest on the show? Fred would love to hear from you. Just reach out at fcrans@stonge.com Send us Fan Mail

February 26, 202628 min

Passing The Baton In Healthcare Supply Chains

We explore how a retiring SVP and a new SVP engineered a seamless leadership handoff at a national health system, turning succession into a strategic advantage. Mentorship, team alignment, and C-suite credibility anchor a playbook any supply chain can adapt.• three generations compare lessons on leadership and continuity• Damika’s path from hospital operations to executive leadership• how outside consulting and GPO experience sharpen decision making• the mechanics of a measured, months-long handoff• building clear career ladders and internal pipelines• aligning a new executive team with a focused retreat• earning and keeping C-suite confidence through value framing• leading through disruption with experiments and disciplined follow-through• using external networks and peers to stay future readyAnd don't forget to hit that subscribe button and connect with us online so you'll never miss an episode and can catch up on all the ones you might have missed.We'd love to hear from you. Just reach out at fcrans@stonge.com Send us Fan Mail

February 12, 202639 min

Strategic Leadership In The Age Of AI

We explore why AI cannot replace judgment, how curated data and sharp questions prevent elegant mistakes, and what separates strategic leadership from transactional management. The conversation centers on healthcare, leading up without title power, and building inclusive cultures that surface frontline insight.• AI as tool rather than turnkey solution• Risks of confident but wrong recommendations• Curated data and governance before analysis• Strategic leadership versus transactional management• Healthcare pace, incentives and decision clocks• Leading up by framing in clinical and financial terms• Tough conversations grounded in mission and facts• Inclusion and synthesis of frontline ideas• Storytelling as a vehicle for enterprise learning• Teaser for the next healthcare-focused bookDon’t forget to hit that subscribe button and connect with us online so you’ll never miss an episode and can catch up on all the ones you might have missedGot a topic you’re fired up about, or maybe you want to be a guest on the show? Fred would love to hear from you. Just reach out at fcrans@stonge.comSend us Fan Mail

January 29, 202628 min

So You Moved “South” To Cleveland: Building A Future-Ready Supply Chain Without The Drama

We explore how Cleveland Clinic scales supply chain excellence across 26 hospitals and hundreds of sites through daily safety huddles, rapid standardization, and honest system-wide assessments. Sarh Charai shares practical lessons on strategic supplier partnerships, recruiting for purpose, and closing the AI skills gap.• Role and scope of enterprise supply chain operations• Daily safety huddles and fast escalation• Standardizing new acquisitions onto common systems• System-wide assessments and cross-industry benchmarking• Strategic supplier partnerships that improve operations• Co‑op models to develop frontline and graduate talent• Recruiting for purpose and retaining caregivers• Addressing the technology and AI skills gap• Practical advice for new supply chain leadersDon’t forget to hit that subscribe button and connect with us online so you’ll never miss an episode and can catch up on all the ones you might have missedGot a topic you’re fired up about or maybe you want to be a guest on the show? Fred would love to hear from you. Just reach out at fcrans@stonge.com.Send us Fan Mail