This issue of HPN brings into focus a central tension shaping the future of healthcare operations: the gap between what is possible and what is being achieved.
On one hand, we are proud to recognize Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware, as our 2026 Sterile Processing Department of the Year. Their story is not just one of operational excellence, but of intentional design. In an environment defined by workforce shortages and mounting complexity, Nemours has built something rare: a fully staffed, fully certified SPD with zero reliance on contract labor. That didn’t happen by chance. It’s the result of long-term investment in people, structured career pathways, and a deliberate effort to position sterile processing as a clinical discipline, not a back-end function.
Equally important is how Nemours connects its work to outcomes. From eliminating flash sterilization to embedding data-driven performance metrics and strengthening OR collaboration, this is a department that has moved beyond tasks to true clinical integration. It offers a glimpse of what high-performing perioperative ecosystems can look like when SPD is treated as a strategic partner.
Across the broader healthcare supply chain, progress continues but at an incremental pace. Visibility has improved, but decision-making and execution have not kept up. Structural challenges, from GPO dynamics to supplier concentration, continue to limit flexibility and slow innovation.
The same pattern holds true with artificial intelligence as Editor Matt MacKenzie found out. Adoption is accelerating, and the promise is real. But in practice, many systems are still piloting tools that organize data better than they drive action. Integration challenges, workflow misalignment, and trust gaps continue to hold back meaningful impact, particularly in areas like infection prevention where clinical nuance matters.
What ties these threads together is a common theme: healthcare doesn’t lack ideas or technology. It struggles with execution.
That’s why conversations like the one featured in this issue with Dr. Jimmy Chung are so important. The notion that cost and quality are inherently at odds is not just outdated; it’s counterproductive. The real opportunity lies in process discipline, standardization, and aligning clinical and supply chain teams around shared outcomes.
The path forward is becoming clearer. The question is whether the industry is ready to move beyond incremental change and follow the lead of organizations like Nemours.
