As the talent acquisition managing consultant for executive recruitment and contingent workforce at Sutter Health, Michael Goehring is a passionate leader with a focus on operational effectiveness. Concerned with the reliance on suppliers to fulfill contingent staffing needs, Goehring aimed to improve relations and strategic alignment with suppliers via his supplier optimization initiative. At its heart was a desire to engage directly with the highest-performing suppliers through data analytics and transparent dialogue to better understand supplier motivations and challenges. Ultimately, the initiative resulted in a 70% reduction in suppliers and the creation of a tiered-supplier model which has led to shorter fill times, better quality hires, improved supplier engagement and significant cost savings.  

The CW space is vital to the healthcare industry. “Without it, it could cripple a healthcare organization,” Goehring says. “We can use historical trends and apply predictive analytics to determine our staffing needs, but healthcare demands ebb and flow with the time of year and economic changes. How we ensure appropriate staffing levels is best addressed through the flexibility of contingent workers. Ultimately, the better our CW program operates allows us to be more effective and better at taking care of patients.” To that end, Goehring places a high priority on supplier relations and alignment in order to maintain the quality of talent and values of the organization.