The health system and university rely on daily supply chain operations – from ensuring research labs have the equipment they need to getting hospitals essential medical supplies. Matt Sullivan, executive director of supply chain integration at JHHS (above, left), and Ted Svehlik, senior director of procurement integration at JHU (above, right), share insights on how Sightline is reimagining supply chain for Johns Hopkins and how Workday will simplify purchasing goods and services critical for patient care and research advancement.
Q: What is Sightline focused on in the supply chain space?
A: The Sightline team’s approach goes beyond just purchasing and payments as supply chain processes are updated alongside Workday’s arrival. The focus is improving the end-to-end process, including ensuring the right products get to the right place at the right time with transparency and efficiency. Key areas include sourcing and purchasing goods and services, tracking and maintaining stock levels, moving supplies to where they are needed, working with vendor contracts to produce the most value for Johns Hopkins, and monitoring performance.
Q: How will moving to Workday improve the processes required for purchasing, vendor management, and delivery of supplies?
A: Currently, Johns Hopkins supports varied supply chain processes across entities and divisions for employees who seek to purchase supplies, contract with vendors, or manage deliveries. This complexity results in a lack of clarity about where to start a request or what step in the process a buyer is on when ordering and waiting for products. Workday will help improve this experience because it requires consistency and simplification of supply chain processes across the university and health system. The Workday platform displays each step of a supply chain action as a list and a visualization that shows all parties where they are in the process. Consistent processes will also help teams leverage powerful data and reporting capabilities that ensure faculty, staff, and clinician mission-facing needs are met faster.
Q: How will these improvements translate into a better experience for purchasers?
A: Simplifying and standardizing supply chain processes will make it easier for buyers across the organization to get the supplies and services they need without delays or confusion. Workday’s self-service capabilities (e.g., favoriting items, recurring orders, and communicating through Workday) will also empower faculty, staff, and clinicians with more direct access to their information. The Workday shopping cart experience — which feels like package delivery tracking apps — shows more details and approvals insights than in SAP. Employees will also see their immediate actions (like approvals) on their Workday home screen. These improvements mean fewer bottlenecks and a more seamless experience for everyone.
Q: Data and reporting are often pain points in supply chain. How will Workday change that?
A: One of the biggest advantages of Workday is its real-time data and reporting capabilities. Today, getting insights often requires pulling reports from multiple systems, which can be time-consuming and inconsistent. Workday centralizes a wide variety of data and provides analysis and reports that integrate different types of activities — across supply chain, finance, and HR, for example — giving teams immediate access to analytics and dashboards, spend tracking, and supplier management. This means Johns Hopkins will get more immediate information to support decision-making.
Q: What steps should employees take to prepare for this transition?
A: Change is coming, and Sightline is committed to making it as smooth as possible. Over the next few years, the team will regularly share updates on what will change in the supply chain space through town halls and other in-depth supply chain sessions. Sightline will also make learning and training opportunities widely available as the program moves toward Go Live in 2027. We encourage everyone to stay engaged, ask questions, and provide feedback as we move through this transformation. The broader the involvement, the better we can shape a system that truly meets Johns Hopkins’ needs.
Q: Any final thoughts on what this transition means for the future?
A: This is more than just a technology shift — it’s an opportunity to reimagine how we work. With Workday, we’re building a more connected, standardized, and transparent supply chain that supports our mission across research, education, and healthcare. We’re excited about the future and can’t wait to see the positive impact this transformation will have on our community.