Cardinal Health, the Dublin, Ohio-based healthcare services company, has been ranked in the number one spot in Gartner’s third annual Healthcare Supply Chain Top 25, replacing med-surg supplier Owens & Minor, which dropped to fifth place.

Information technology research and advisory firm Gartner created the Top 25 list to highlight companies making strides in patient care while controlling costs.

"This year we see commonality between the strategies supply chain organizations from across the different segments are pursuing," said Barry Blake, a Gartner research analyst, in a statement about the rankings. "Supply chain and customer segmentation, working capital optimization, resiliency, talent management, standardization and, of course, collaboration are mentioned in nearly every strategic supply chain document we've reviewed. Healthcare can learn about these capabilities from other industries, but ensuring success in execution depends on the experience and expertise of leadership within the industry."

[See also: Supply chain IT reaps benefits of EMR innovation.]

“In analyzing our list this year,” Blake continued, “we see a ranking that demonstrates the importance of maintaining focus on both internal and external collaboration as the vehicle to drive industry-wide change. Leaders here are persistent in applying smart and thoughtful pressure to persuade their organizations to adopt processes and metrics that ultimately will lead to cost and quality enhancements for the patient.”

Gartner’s rankings are based on a composite score measuring how companies have performed in the past and opinion reflecting leadership and collaboration.

See next page for the Top 25 list.