Ada Demir, Vice President of Supply Chain at Dartmouth Health

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Becker’s Healthcare Podcast

Episode: Ada Demir, Vice President of Supply Chain at Dartmouth Health
Date: March 10, 2026
Host: Jacob Emerson
Guest: Ada Demir

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Episode Overview

This episode features a conversation between Jacob Emerson and Ada Demir, Vice President of Enterprise Support Services and Supply Chain at Dartmouth Health. Ada discusses the evolving complexities and crucial importance of supply chain management in healthcare, particularly in the face of financial pressures, policy shifts, and global disruptions. She also shares her perspective on team-building, cross-functional collaboration, and the often unsung value of supply chain professionals.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Ada Demir’s Background and Dartmouth Health’s Mission

• Introduction (01:17–02:07):
  • Ada joined Dartmouth Health in September 2025.
  • Dartmouth Health is a nationally recognized academic medical center with a 200+ year legacy, operating in a rural healthcare environment.
  • Focused on clinical excellence, research, and patient-centered care, while training future healthcare leaders.

Current State of Hospital Supply Chains

• Industry Challenges (02:50–04:09):
  • U.S. hospitals (approx. 6,200 nationwide) face “substantial headwinds”:
    • Reduced funding & reimbursement.
    • Slower revenue growth.
    • Increasing labor and supply expenses.
  • Managing these expenses within tight margins has become more challenging than even during the Covid pandemic.
  • Key Quote:

    “Managing it within budget has been much more challenging than even Covid times…every dollar you save is equal to every revenue you generate.”—Ada Demir (03:24)

Elevating Supply Chain Leadership to the C-Suite

• Strategic Value of Supply Chain (04:47–07:17):
  • Supply chain represents 40–45% of each hospital’s non-labor spending—“that’s a large volume.”
  • The C-suite is aware of its value but has many competing priorities.
  • Supply chain is seen as a “key cost lever” for margin control and supporting organizational growth.
  • Supply chain teams manage hundreds of vendors, seek contract standardization, and implement data-driven efficiencies (ERP/EMR consistency).
  • Emphasized need for focus and prioritization from executive leadership.

Team Building: The Art and Science of Supply Chain

• The “Best Achievement in Casting” Analogy (07:58–11:20):
  • Ada compares supply chain leadership to the work of casting directors in film—a mix of invisible, essential work that shapes ultimate success.
  • Notable Quote:

    “It’s not always science, it’s a little bit art.” —Ada Demir (08:53)

  • Like casting, supply chain balances talent assessment, relationship management, and unforeseen challenges.
  • The work is often “essential, but largely invisible”—and only noticed when something goes wrong.
  • Ada emphasizes the need for recognition and appreciation of supply chain professionals, referencing the Oscars’ new casting category to highlight this shift.
  • Notable Quote:

    “When it’s done right, no one really notices. When it’s missing, everyone stops.” —Ada Demir (09:40)

Building Resilience: Vendor Relationships and Process Improvement

• Resilience & Strengthening the Chain (12:17–14:08):
  • Ongoing disruptions in global supply chains require constant communication and collaboration with both clinical and administrative teams.
  • Actionable data (not just information) is critical for making effective decisions.
  • Investment in people, processes, and technology—all “hand in hand”—is essential.
    • Robust, repeatable, well-documented processes are prerequisites for successful digitalization and adoption of AI/RPA technologies.
    • Emphasizes that a committed and trained team enables the rest of the system to succeed.
  • There must be a collaborative effort among all service lines and departments for standardization and cost control.
  • Quote:

    “People side, I don’t believe it’s ever going to go away. You need to have well trained, well committed team members to be able to make sure those processes work…” (13:19)

Final Thoughts: Recognizing Healthcare Supply Chain Heroes

• Closing Reflections (14:26–15:13):
  • Ada encourages those in healthcare and supply chain to recognize their contributions, likening them to “heroic” casting directors—often unsung but vital.
  • Quote:

    “We are all casting directors in healthcare who have worked relentlessly for years. Sometimes we get the attention or delight we need, sometimes not. But it doesn’t matter. We do a heroic job for every day.” —Ada Demir (14:39)

  • Ada expresses pride in the work of supply chain and the broader healthcare community.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Managing it within budget has been much more challenging than even Covid times...every dollar you save is equal to every revenue you generate.”
  —Ada Demir (03:24)

• “It’s not always science, it’s a little bit art.”
  —Ada Demir (08:53)

• “When it’s done right, no one really notices. When it’s missing, everyone stops.”
  —Ada Demir (09:40)

• “People side, I don’t believe it’s ever going to go away. You need to have well trained, well committed team members to be able to make sure those processes work…”
  —Ada Demir (13:19)

• “We are all casting directors in healthcare who have worked relentlessly for years...we do a heroic job for every day. So we should congratulate each other.”
  —Ada Demir (14:39)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|------------------------------------------------------| | 01:17 | Ada’s background and Dartmouth Health overview | | 02:50 | Current state/challenges in supply chain | | 04:47 | Strategic value of supply chain to hospital C-suite | | 07:58 | Team-building and the Oscars “casting” analogy | | 12:17 | Building resilience, vendor management, tech & teams | | 14:26 | Final thoughts, message to industry peers |

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Episode Conclusion

This episode spotlights the often under-recognized but central role of supply chain leaders in healthcare. Ada Demir passionately argues that excellence in supply chain is both science and art—requiring teamwork, resilience, cross-departmental collaboration, robust data, and elite talent management. Her casting director analogy resonates as a call for greater appreciation and visibility for those powering the behind-the-scenes work vital to hospitals’ mission and survival.

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Transcript

[A]

The most important healthcare decisions don't happen in isolation. They happen when leaders come together. Becker's 16th annual meeting brings together more than 3,500 hospital and health system executives this April in Chicago. With 800 speakers from Ascension, Cleveland Clinic, Common Spirit and more, the conversations get real. Leaders will share how their scenario planning for policy shifts brief, breaking through value based care barriers and building clinical teams that translate new ideas into real world care. Join top decision makers in the room April 13th through the 16th. For the agenda and event details, visit BeckersHospitalReview.com and click on the Events tab in the upper right.

[B]

Hello everyone, this is Jacob Emerson with the Beckers Healthcare Podcast. Thrilled today to be joined by Ada Demir, who's the Vice President of Enterprise Support Services and supply chain at Dartmouth Health. Ada Ada, thank you so much for taking the time to be with me on the podcast today.

[C]

Thank you Jacob. It's my pleasure.

[B]

Likewise Ada, we're glad to have you with us. And before we dive into everything we want to talk with you about, can you first tell us a little bit more about yourself, your background in healthcare and what it is that you do today at Dartmouth Health?

[C]

Absolutely. So I joined Dartmouth health September of 2025. I am very excited to jump on this transformation and transition to transformation of supply chain. Darknet Health is a nationally recognized academic medical center operating in rural healthcare. They are recognized for clinical excellence in research, training the next generation of healthcare leaders and delivering science deterrent patient centered care. So they have been around for more than 200 years. Yet I've been always committed and I'm really glad to be a part of that journey.

[B]

Wonderful. Well I appreciate the quick overview there Ada. And like I said, we're glad to have you with us today to talk about a really important topic in healthcare. Clearly very, very relevant right now given everything going on policy wise. And that's supply chain, which of course is your focus at the health system. And you know you mentioned you started at Dartmouth last year and you've described it as a very exciting time to be in the supply chain publicly. So talk to us about that. What does being in hospital supply chain look like right now? How would you frame the context of your role and where things stand for you as an industry right now?

[C]

Absolutely. Like you very well mentioned, almost all hospitals and I believe we have around 6,200 hospitals in the nation. Looking ahead, almost all hospitals face substantial headwinds. It's around reduced funding and reimbursements, slower revenue growth, but most importantly increasing labor and supply Expenses to manage it within budget has been much more challenging than even Covid times. So we need to implement a seriously revised and thorough strategy to understand and manage the drivers of these expenses. Considering almost every health system is operating with single digit margins and if we consider most of the healthcare systems are even operating at break even, every dollar you bring, every dollar you save is equal to every revenue you generate. So that brings a bigger and clearer lens like what we should do, how we should strategize to manage our third party spend, non labor.

[B]

Absolutely. So it's getting tougher for health systems. Of course overall from a margin perspective, ADA supply chain of course a major piece of that. So I wonder for the other hospital leaders listening in for the CEOs for the CFOs of these systems all over the country, what would you say to them in terms of how they need to be elevating their supply chain leaders to a strategic seat at the table? Why is that so important and what's the value that the supply chain team brings that that upper C suite might not currently see?

[C]

Absolutely, I believe they do see. It's just about competing priorities. It's just about giving the importance and attention to supply chain. Why I believe they see typically 40 to 45% of each hospital's revenue or total spending is related to third party. It is supply chain spending, non labor. That's a large volume. Again, you typically deal with hundreds of different vendors or manufacturers that expire anywhere from 30 to 180 days in a pipeline ahead of you that you need to actively proactively negotiate. If you are a system, consolidate across hospitals, make sure there is standardization to be able to get the best from your contracts and ensure price parity which brings in your EMR and ERP consistency. So there are a lot of levers to pull. But again supply chain is only one of the key focuses for C suite along with revenue excellence along with workforce productivity, provider productivity or maybe some other metrics like managing length of stay. I trust that all hospital C suite is aware what supply chain is able to bring to the table. It's all about the focus and prioritization because they also have a lot to do. Key focus is supply chain revenue excellence, we discussed that. But they also have other levers to pull like growing into attractive segments outside sometimes their core business, develop new care models, build digital capabilities which will be a key driver in the next decade. Bringing some AI use cases, cloud transition while reducing traditional operating costs. But supply chain is definitely going to be the key again player in managing that cost base and making sure we support our leaders to meet the budgetary expectations and growth targets.

[B]

Understood. Key cost lever that needs to be controlled. And I know a big focus for you Ada since since coming to Dartmouth is building up the supply chain department at the health system. And I wonder what you would say to the executives listening and in terms of others who might be looking to restructure or strengthen their own supply supply chain functions. What's your framework for assessing. Assessing the best talent, identifying gaps that exist ultimately really building that team that can execute on a. On a system wide transformation. Especially at a. At a facility like Dartmouth which has many facilities across your region.

[C]

Very good. You are right Jacob. It is. It is easier said than done. And here I would like to refer to to the Oscars. 98 Oscars happening this year. And strange enough, Oscars introduced a totally new category, best achievement in casting. So for decades casting directors have really shaped the success of films from behind the scenes. Balancing budgets, evaluating talent, managing trade offs and building long term relationships which make future production stronger. This work has always been essential, but largely invisible. That sounds very familiar, right? Very much like supply chain and how we operate. The reason I brought the Oscars analogy, it's not always science, it's a little bit art. And in supply chain we also plan meticulously, we work within constraints, we run RFPs, evaluate partners, but even we stay close to those vendors who are not selected because resilience is really built over time. When it's done right, no one really notices. When it's missing, everyone stops. So to your question, I think what I am committed to do is similar to casting which is finally getting its moment of recognition this year. I am committed. Supply chain is constantly getting that recognition in Darkmoon 12 because not the industry is changing or not only it's going through transition. The work has always been perhaps the same way. It's been difficult, it's been challenging. Maybe we will not stand at the Dalby Theatre this year with fellow nominees, but our hearts will be fast for them to support. I am maybe like Francine Mezier who is the casting director for Sinners. Congratulations for the nominee Nina Gold. Like Hamnet or Cassandra Kulukindis one Baftal another one battle after another. Or Jennifer Banditti who directed cast, directed Marty Supreme. We have, we share, I think a history. We share the same background with all these cast directors as supply chain leaders. Now I know Darknet Health leadership appreciates its supply chain and the enterprise support services team and they really support our transformation journey because they know behind every successful product or service which are delivered on time, at the right price and precisely when or where it's needed, it's the Dartmouth health supply chain team doing the hard and glamorous work that makes everything else possible. As we continue to care for our patients, we embrace our communities, we explore and as we excel.

[B]

I love that parallel ADA that there is no successful movie without a good casting director. There is no successful health system without supply chain leaders like yourself. So no longer essential, but invisible, coming into the spotlight. Especially of course, as you know, post pandemic and all the lessons that, that showed the healthcare industry in the US and now of course, with all the ongoing tariff policies, the CR critical importance of you and your team cannot be overstated. And, and I know you've, you've made the point that strong supply chain leaders, they maintain relationships even with vendors who, who you might not select immediately, that that resilience is built over time. So how are you thinking about continuity, planning, vendor diversification for Dartmouth given this, this ongoing disruption we're seeing in global supply chains?

[C]

It is constant communication and it's collaboration with our clinicians and administrative leaders. Data is very important. Data is not the information, data which is actionable. To be able to do that, there's an investment that goes along with the people. With the processes and technology all hand in hand, we need to establish repeatable and reputable processes. It's key because without those processes, we will not be even ready to move forward in our digitalization journey. We will not be even ready to take advantage of AI as it comes, generative AI. We are looking for rpa, a lot of robotic process automation even to be able to do that. The processes should be robust, end to end, documented and clearly tested. People, people side, I don't believe it's ever going to go away. You need to have well trained, well committed team members to be able to make sure those processes work so that you exploit and take advantage of the technology. Last but not the least, it's a collaborative effort across all service lines, all clinicians and departments to stay committed to the standardized efforts. We need to focus on the continuum of care, the care variation, yet take advantage of our pricing, price parity across hospitals, across our members, and deliver the best back to our organization, financially and operationally.

[B]

It's fantastic advice. And in that vein, I would, I would ask you, is there any final thoughts or other bits of advice, summarizing advice you'd offer all the other healthcare leaders, supply chain leaders listening in from all over the country right now.

[C]

From the bottom of my heart, I'd like to thank everyone who's contributing to healthcare, who is supporting communities and vulnerable patient populations. It is a heroic event. Almost every day we wake up, we do our best to get that care to everyone who needs at the place, or at least to the closest proximity they need. I think we are all casting directors in healthcare who have worked relentlessly for years. Sometimes we get the attention or delight we need, sometimes not. But it doesn't matter. We do a heroic job for every day. So we should congratulate each other. I am truly proud to be a part of healthcare delivery, healthcare providers, enterprise support services and supply chain. Thank you. Jacob.