Bethesda Health Group

Matthew Wisniewski

Healthcare Procurement Authority

Matthew Wisniewski is a healthcare supply chain and procurement professional with over a decade of experience. At Bethesda Health Group, he oversees the sourcing, procurement and management of supplies and services essential to its healthcare operations.

In an interview with Healthcare Tech Outlook, Wisniewski shared his insights on building reliable supplier relationships, balancing cost efficiency and quality, navigating evolving industry trends and the role of technology.

A Career Shaped by Experience

I have worked with multiple multifacility healthcare organizations, serving populations that range from newborns to seniors across all levels of acuity. My experience includes working with various inventory management systems, supporting diverse team sizes, managing unique service lines and collaboration with leaders at every level of the organization.

Through this experience, I have understood that clear communication, data-driven decision-making and strong partnerships are essential to simplifying the complexities we continually face.

Building Reliable Supplier Relationships

Confidence in a supplier’s ability to consistently meet production demands and maintain distributor stock levels is essential. While backorders may be unavoidable, it can be effectively managed through proactive planning and strong supplier partnerships. If a supplier is unable to meet an organization’s inventory needs, alternative options must be considered.

Suppliers that provide dedicated team members for training and ongoing support tend to have a stronger understanding of an organization’s needs. They can offer best practices for product use while also assisting with planning and product conversions. These intangible attributes are important in maintaining strong supplier relationships.

Ensuring supplies reach distributors is equally important as their delivery from distributors to the organization. If they do not maintain expected inventory levels, it can lead to downstream delays in delivering products to facilities.

At Bethesda Health Group, we work closely with distributors to gain early visibility into potential supply disruptions. By monitoring expected inventory depletion and stock replenishment timelines, we identify gaps. Suppliers who provide this level of transparency and communication are highly valuable and help strengthen long-term partnerships.

Balancing Cost Efficiency and Quality

Rising costs across freight, raw materials and labor have become a challenge. In response, manufacturers and distributors are focusing on enhancing operational efficiency while continuing to deliver consistent quality and service despite widespread cost pressures.

At Bethesda Health Group, cost management efforts are centered on maximizing the value of group purchasing organizations and standardizing formulary across all sites. In addition, we collaborate closely with clinical teams to evaluate potential product conversion opportunities. This ensures the implementation of quality products that meet staff requirements while driving cost efficiency.

Evolving Industry and Role of Technology

The current trends require procurement practices to be more agile. Teams have to think creatively to address emerging challenges while maintaining strong processes and systems that support day-today operations and unexpected obstacles.

At the same time, technology, once considered a secondhand support tool, has become a primary driver of daily operations. Procurement and supply chain teams now have greater visibility than ever through data-driven insights and predictive analytics. Leveraging those opportunities while maintaining strong supplier relationships can provide a positive impact on supply availability and cost control.

Continuous learning, both individually and across teams, strengthens the ability to use technology and process improvements to navigate ongoing challenges. Thinking outside the box also creates opportunities to develop standardized processes that address emerging complexities.

Advice for Aspiring Procurement and Supply Chain Professionals

Be where your feet are. Establishing relationships within your organization is just as important as developing partnerships with suppliers, manufacturers and distributors.

Working in supply chain and procurement usually involves managing change as well as the supply and spend. To drive meaningful impact, it is essential to understand organizational needs while effectively operating within existing constraints.