The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a community, in part, as “a body of persons of common and especially professional interests scattered through a larger society.” The rapidly growing Vizient Community, which celebrates its second-year anniversary in April 2021, fits that description and provides a robust array of benefits to the community’s participants. Housed on a secure, online platform, the Vizient Community is a trusted collaboration hub that enables members to ask questions of peers across the country, share information, ask for (and make) recommendations, collaborate on projects, sign up for meetings, download newsletters and other member content, and register for webinars tailored to their specific interests.
Community plays crucial role during the COVID-19 pandemic
The Vizient Community proved exceptionally valuable throughout 2020 as hospitals worked through the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, including shortages of personal protective equipment.
Members of Vizient’s Supply Member Network logged on to the network’s community group and began to discuss challenges they were facing with a shortage of nitrile exam gloves and nontraditional glove brokers trying to resell gloves for a profit. Within two days, there were more than a dozen responses from members with similar concerns. Some suggested process enhancements and conservation strategies. The inquiry prompted Vizient’s sourcing team of experts to develop a guide for members (pdf download) that outlines important steps and considerations for choosing nontraditional glove brokers.
Extensive information-sharing also included answers to questions about clinical procedures and best practices, as well as supplies. “During the height of the epidemic, members were asking a lot of COVID- and supply-related questions, such as where to find certain supplies or about certain policies. Now we see the conversations and questions have shifted from masks and gowns to vaccines,” said Johnson.
Johnson said that moving forward, they are working to enhance the platform even more by updating the content management system for improved navigation and search capacity, and a better user experience to access group resources, blog posts, podcasts, etc. A mobile app for the Vizient Community platform is also being planned.
Each Vizient Community group is overseen by a network or product director and manger who curates content relevant to their group, announces and coordinates upcoming meetings and events and monitors and engages in their groups’ discussions.
To learn more about the Vizient Community and find a group (or groups) that are right for you, visit the Vizient Community page of your member dashboard.