Dale Locklair, Vice President of Procurement and Construction for McLeod Health, recently received the GHXcellence Supply Chain Leadership Award during the 2014 GHX Healthcare Supply Chain Summit in Philadelphia.

The annual award recognizes an individual supply chain leader for his work in improving the business of healthcare. Members of the healthcare community nominated six individual supply chain leaders and the entire healthcare industry was invited to vote for the leadership award.

"Dale has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to making healthcare a better-run industry. Always willing to share his knowledge and lessons learned, he is a recognized leader who has truly made a difference within our organization. Dale has also helped other supply chain leaders improve their organizations," according to Rob Colones, President and CEO of McLeod Health.

Locklair has led the team at McLeod Health on key process changes to improve data accuracy, increase automation, make educated purchasing decisions and address significant revenue leakage. A key component of this work has been Locklair’s ability to foster collaboration across departments within the walls of McLeod Health and externally with the organization’s business partners, stated GHX officials.

On receiving this honor, Locklair said, "I am grateful and humbled by this recognition. The Spirit of McLeod is a cooperative spirit that proves when people work together, they can achieve magnificent results. We are known at McLeod for excellence in patient care. The GHXcellence Supply Chain Leadership Award recognizes on a national level the excellent work we also do as an organization in supply chain. We place great significance on working together at McLeod. As we continue to learn how to work together for the best interests of our patients, we have had the privilege of extending this learning to a national level, helping to develop collaborative relationships between hospitals and manufacturers."

Locklair said he calls it, "a privilege to work with people who daily challenge and inspire each other through the relentless pursuit of excellence coupled with selfless service to others. The more time I spend among our teams, the more I am convinced that we will continue to aspire to excellence in everything we undertake. What I find most encouraging about the Spirit of McLeod is that as we strive together to achieve excellence in every field of our work, we can change the lives of our patients for the better, and in so doing, we also change each others’ lives for the better."

In his role with McLeod Health, Locklair is responsible for facilities planning, construction and management of more than 3.5 million square feet of hospital facilities, medical office buildings, and clinical care areas. His responsibilities also include management oversight of all hospital real estate, property management, engineering, telecommunications, medical/surgical and surgical services supply distribution, procurement, in-house legal counsel oversight, and grounds maintenance.

Locklair earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Clemson University and MBA from Colorado State University. He is a member of the American Society for Healthcare Engineering, the South Carolina Society of Hospital Materials Managers, and the Association for Healthcare Resource & Materials Managers. He is also a member of Beta Gamma Sigma international business honor society. Locklair’s professional accreditations include: Certified Materials & Resources Professional from the Association for Healthcare Resource & Materials Management (AHRMM) and a Master Level accreditation from the International Board for Certification of Safety Managers as a Certified Healthcare Emergency Professional (CHEP). He is also an accredited Fellow of the Association for Healthcare Resource & Materials Management (FAHRMM) of the American Hospital Association and holds a bronze belt in Simpler® Lean.

Now in its 14th year, the Healthcare Supply Chain Summit by GHX is the largest event for healthcare supply chain leaders, bringing together participants from across the industry to address critical issues within a collaborative environment. Healthcare providers, manufacturers, distributors and group purchasing organizations convene to share current and future industry trends, best practices and real life case studies showcasing successful strategies for operational excellence.

About GHX
Global Healthcare Exchange, LLC (GHX) is driving costs out of healthcare by transforming the healthcare supply chain. Working with providers and suppliers, GHX is accelerating change by providing a faster, more efficient and collaborative supply chain that will take billions of dollars out of the cost of healthcare.