Hospital Supplier Diversity Initiative
Improving Supplier Access and Inclusion Through Impact Purchasing
About the Hospital Supplier Diversity Initiative
Communities Lifting Communities (CLC), along with the Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC), is committed to advocating for accessible and inclusive purchasing practices and building partnerships that create opportunities for groups traditionally overlooked. Our mission is to inspire hospital decision-makers to not just comply with regulations but to unlock untapped potential that benefits everyone.
Our Why - Impact Purchasing
Supplier diversity isn’t just about business—it’s about building stronger communities. By fostering economic opportunities and mobility for diverse businesses, we create a ripple effect of positive change that extends far beyond corporate walls. This aligns with the idea of hospitals as anchor institutions in their communities. They contribute to overall community development and resilience by leveraging their resources, influence, and expertise to address social determinants of health and promote health equity. Hospital impact purchasing strategy aims to invest into local and diverse suppliers to ultimately create healthier and more resilient communities in which hospitals reside.
Our LA County Landscape Analysis highlights the transformative power of supplier diversity through key informant interviews, data insights, and strategic priorities. By uncovering challenges and opportunities for diverse businesses, the analysis emphasizes the vital role hospitals play as anchor institutions in advancing community development and health equity.
Read the summary and full-length report to see additional insights
The Health Care Inclusive Procurement Network (HCIPN)
The Health Care Inclusive Procurement Network (HCIPN) is a dynamic, Proveedor-powered platform designed in collaboration with the Hospital Association of Southern California (HASC) and Communities Lifting Communities (CLC) to support HASC member hospitals and health systems to engage in inclusive procurement. The HCIPN enables members to access and share an expansive network of contract-ready diverse vendors and suppliers engaged by their peers. The HCIPN facilitates collaboration, transparency, and supplier diversity, fostering a community of support and mutual growth. With the intuitive interface and robust search capabilities, the HCIPN not only helps organizations meet regulatory requirements but also drives meaningful impact by promoting supplier inclusion in Southern California.
The HCIPN is a first-of-its-kind collaboration made possible by the contributors of Cedars-Sinai, Kaiser Permanente, UC Health, City of Hope, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Keck Medicine of USC, MemorialCare Health System, and PIH Health.
Interested in joining the HCIPN? Download our Supplier Data Template and read our HCIPN disclaimer. Once complete, upload your list here.
Questions? Reach out to Karen Ochoa at kochoa@hasc.org.
What We Do
Improve Research and Analytics
Enhance data-driven decision-making by developing comprehensive research and analytics to identify gaps, measure impact, and drive equitable outcomes.
Lead Industry Standards to Impact Policy
Set benchmarks and advocate for policies that embed supplier diversity and equity into healthcare industry standards.
Build Relationships
Create intentional spaces for hospitals and vendors to build relationships. Establish and sustain key partnerships to advance initiative.
Capture and Share Stories
Intentionally collect stories of success, case studies and best practices to share with the HASC region. Including podcasts, newsletters and stakeholder presentations.
Build Capacity
Empower hospitals and diverse vendors through workshops, roundtables and technical assistance opportunities.
Foster Collaboration
Bridge hospitals, diverse suppliers CBOs and other key stakeholders to develop and deploy regional strategies on impact purchasing.
Regional Hospital Supplier Diversity Committee
The committee will be made up of hospital representatives who will help guide our efforts to support hospitals in diversifying their procurement processes and practices through identifying suppliers that meet diverse classifications (minority, women, LGBT and disabled veteran businesses). Our efforts include helping hospitals comply with AB 962, which requires them to submit an annual report on efforts to diversify business partners.