Kimberly Alvord-New Client Advocate at Kermit

Kimberly Alvord is the new Client Advocate at Kermit, a startup that helps hospitals gain visibility and spend management in the fragmented area of Physician Preference Items (PPI). The Client Advocate is a newly-created position.

Kermit CEO Richard Palarea told OTW, “Nobody argues that Kermit is a quantum leap forward in innovation and value available to orthopedic service line managers and supply chain executives, but I know that Kermit can deliver even more value for the hospital through a knowledgeable liaison. We conceived the Client Advocate position as a blending of implant expert, analytic resource and spokesperson for our hospital client base to ensure that features suggested by our hospital users make their way into the product. To that end, Kim is the perfect first-hire in this role, having been one of Kermit’s early adopters and someone who suggested a number of reports and features during her time as a user.”

Kim Alvord commented to OTW, “My first full week as part of the Kermit team was spent mapping the procure-to-payment workflow. The Kermit team had developed a quantum leap forward with the bill only implant audit and contract compliance, but I was able to map nine additional areas of cost savings and automation in the process. Presently, I’m working on the launch of Kermit Insight—the analytic reporting module, which will raise surgeon engagement with real time visibility to case cost and implant utilization. This is something I’ve attempted to do in my past roles through disconnected sets of data and spreadsheets. It is great to be working with Kermit and the purpose-built implant spend management platform that can really handle the creation of powerful dashboards and KPIs. Kermit Insight enables the hospital and their surgeons to measure, control and reduce their overall medical device expenses without compromising patient outcomes.”

“I have always had a personal priority of providing transparency within healthcare. As a member of the Kermit team, I carry the same torch. I’m here to ensure that the health systems we are bringing onto the platform have a first-rate experience and a personal point of contact.”

“Prior to joining Kermit, I logged more than 15 years of healthcare supply chain experience; much of that related to orthopedic medical devices. This, along with prior operating room and hospital finance/revenue cycle experience, will provide our clients an advocate for all facets of the flow of medical devices in a hospital setting. Being a former, early user of Kermit is a huge bonus. I was involved in the implementation within my hospital and quickly gravitated to adoption of Kermit in my daily tasks. I think this gives me a unique vantage point to assist our users in gaining as much value as possible from the platform. My opinion is that, even with a 10-times return on investment, Kermit is only scratching the surface of what is possible in driving out costs and managing spend in a sustainable way. I think my experience in healthcare supply chain and a Kermit user will help the team to build some powerful new facets of the tool that are entirely within our reach.”