Success Story: Streamlining Digital Transformation for Baylor College of Medicine’s Procurement Function

Background:

Baylor College of Medicine, a prestigious medical research institution, faced significant challenges in its procurement processes. As a decentralized organization, requisitions were initiated across departments, with the buying team primarily tasked with policy compliance. This led to inefficiencies and a lack of visibility across workflows. These manual processes caused delays, fragmentation, and difficulties in tracking procurement activities, creating frustrations for buyers and end users.

In 2024, Baylor partnered with Groves & Company to implement a digital transformation strategy using JAGGAER as the procurement platform to address these inefficiencies. The integration of JAGGAER allowed Baylor to enhance its procurement workflows, boost transparency, and improve user satisfaction across the institution.

Challenges:

Before the implementation, Baylor’s fragmented procurement system lacked traceability. Key challenges included:

• Decentralized procurement: Requisitions originated in multiple departments, making it difficult for buyers to track documents and approvals.
• Lack of visibility: Both buyers and end users struggled to determine where requisitions stood within the approval process, often leading to delays and redundant work.
• Manual processes: Many activities were handled outside the formal system through emails and fragmented workflows, causing errors and inefficiencies.
• Contract routing issues: Contracts, particularly those related to grants and facilities, were routed inefficiently, leading to bottlenecks and delays that could extend to six weeks.

Solution:

Groves & Company implemented a comprehensive digital solution powered by JAGGAER that centralized Baylor’s Procure-to-Pay system. This solution streamlined procurement, allowing for better oversight, improved traceability, and reduced manual workloads. The transformation was technical and operational, ensuring the procurement team could shift from a tactical to a strategic role.

Key features of the solution included:

• Centralized database: All requisitions, contracts, and supporting documents were housed in one system, ensuring visibility and easy access for all relevant stakeholders.
• Improved workflow visibility: The new system tracked requisitions and approvals in real-time, allowing users to see where a request was.
• Automation of manual processes: Automated matching purchase orders with invoices, reducing human error and speeding up approval times.
• Enhanced contract management: The system allowed Baylor to centralize contracts, ensuring they were easily accessible and reducing approval times from six weeks to just 48 hours.

Results:

The digital transformation, powered by Groves & Company, led to significant efficiency and user satisfaction improvements across Baylor’s procurement function.

• Reduced Purchase Order processing times: Before implementation, purchase orders could take three to four days to process, even for small-dollar amounts. This was reduced to less than one day, with an average processing time of six hours.
• Contract routing improvements: The new system reduced contract approval times from six weeks to 48 hours, dramatically improving efficiency.
• Increased procurement team efficiency: By reducing manual, repetitive tasks, the system allowed the procurement team to focus on strategic initiatives, improving overall team morale and effectiveness.
• Improved end-user satisfaction: Baylor’s internal customer surveys reflected increased procurement satisfaction, moving from the bottom five to the top three among central service groups.
• Supplier relationship enhancement: With clear metrics and visibility, Baylor was able to negotiate better terms with preferred suppliers, increasing spending efficiency and supplier collaboration.

Lessons Learned:

Janice Peters, head of procurement at Baylor, shared valuable insights for institutions considering similar digital transformations. Key takeaways included:

• Set realistic expectations: “No implementation will fit every organization’s needs perfectly. Be prepared for some degree of compromise and flexibility.”
• Engage stakeholders early: Ensuring buy-in from both internal and external users is critical to a smooth implementation.
• Leverage peer knowledge: “Check with similar institutions that have implemented similar solutions to learn from their experiences.”

Conclusion:

Groves & Company’s strategic partnership with Baylor College of Medicine successfully modernized the institution’s procurement function, delivering substantial operational improvements and setting the stage for continued efficiency gains. Through tailored solutions and a focus on transparency, Baylor is now equipped to handle its complex procurement needs with greater agility and confidence.