Khatereh Calleja will be the Healthcare Supply Chain Association's new CEO, the group purchasing organization trade group announced Tuesday.
Calleja, who joins HSCA from the medical device trade group AdvaMed as its senior vice president of technology and regulatory affairs, will replace current CEO Todd Ebert, who is retiring after four years leading the association. Calleja will officially take over on April 29.
"Khatereh has been at the forefront of some of the most critical healthcare debates in Washington and her profound knowledge of health policy, her passion for communicating about the value of the supply chain and her reputation as a bridge-builder in Washington will help drive our advocacy on behalf of the supply chain and the providers and patients we serve," Lee Perlman, GNYHA Ventures president and HSCA board chair, said in prepared remarks.
GPOs, which aim to lower the cost of supplies and equipment by negotiating bulk purchases with manufacturers, have been steadily expanding their consulting services related to reducing clinical variation and other endeavors. Calleja will take the lead as middlemen across the industry, including GPOs, endure criticism for inflating costs.
"Healthcare group purchasing organizations play a vital role in reducing costs and increasing innovation throughout the entire healthcare system," Calleja said in prepared remarks. "The value that GPOs deliver to providers, Medicare and Medicaid, and taxpayers is indispensable in today's evolving healthcare landscape."
Prior to joining AdvaMed, Calleja established and led the Washington office of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. She also previously directed legislative and regulatory affairs outreach at the American Academy of Otolaryngology and has worked closely with congressional committees and regulatory agencies in several capacities.
Ebert joined the HSCA in 2015 from Amerinet, a national healthcare solutions organization where he had served as CEO since 2007. A registered pharmacist, he previously served as vice president of ValuPharm, managing pharmacy contract sales for organizations across the country, including Salt Lake City-based Intermountain Healthcare.
