The Maryland General Assembly’s 2025 session begins at noon on Wednesday, when lawmakers will begin to tackle a number of high-interest issues. Policy decisions will be framed around how much money is available and what additional new revenue sources are acceptable.

System’s Gallion Proprietary Digital Solution Developed at its iHarbor Innovation Center

BALTIMORE, January 07, 2025–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) has been selected as a finalist in the Gartner Power of the Profession Supply Chain Awards 2025, in the Process or Technology Innovation of the Year category. UMMS is included for Transforming Bill-Only Product Management in Healthcare Supply Chain; the System’s Gallion is a digital technology cutting-edge solution designed to optimize supply chain efficiency that was developed by UMMS’ iHarbor Innovation Center.

“We believe that being included as a finalist in the Gartner awards underscores the critical impact that UMMS has demonstrated so far in optimizing health care bill-only supply chain management and that it could have in the future on patient care,” said Warren D’Souza, PhD, MBA, the System’s Senior Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer. “In our opinion, this recognition validates our focus on streamlining processes and empowering health systems with innovative, integrated solutions.”

Gallion’s innovative solution redefines the management of bill-only transactions by digitizing and standardizing workflows, enhancing accuracy, compliance, and efficiency. The platform seamlessly integrates with electronic health record (EHR) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, automating critical tasks such as consumption tracking, charges and contract compliance. Before Gallion’s implementation in 2021 automated these processes, UMMS relied on a manual labor-intensive paper-based process that had the potential for errors and inefficiencies. Data from the deployment of Gallion across UMMS’ 11 hospitals shows significant operational improvements; completion time has been reduced by 75% and the defect/error rate has lowered from 18% to just 3%.

“At UMMS, part of what we pride ourselves on is innovation and being at the forefront of transformative change in health care,” said Mohan Suntha, MD, MBA, the System’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “We believe this recognition underscores Gallion’s impact as a pioneering solution in health care supply chain innovation.”

Gallion was developed in iHarbor, a wholly-owned subsidiary and the innovation center of UMMS. iHarbor is now bringing Gallion to the market, enabling other hospitals and health systems to realize similar benefits. The enterprise platform offers robust analytics, giving supply chain teams unparalleled insight into cost management, contract competitiveness and compliance, and clinical quality outcomes.

Story Continues

BALTIMORE — More than 60% of Marylanders surveyed approve of the job Gov. Wes Moore is doing in office, while they are strongly against raising taxes to improve the state’s deficit, according to the latest Gonzales poll.

Maryland’s General Assembly is set to resume another legislative session on Wednesday, January 8.

The Gonzales poll was conducted between December 27 to January 4. The poll questioned 811 registered voters in Maryland, who indicated they are likely to vote in the next election.

The margin of error (MOE), per accepted statistical standards, is a range of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points, according to the Gonzales poll, and if the entire population was surveyed, there is a 95% probability that the true numbers would fall within this range.

Gov. Moore’s approval

According to the Gonzales poll, 61% of Maryland voters approve of the job Gov. Wes Moore is doing, while 28% disapprove. The poll shows that 79% of Democrats and 75% of Black voters polled support Moore’s performance.

The poll also shows that 76% of voters polled in Maryland approve of the current governor.  

“Governor Moore’s overall job rating among Maryland voters (61% approval) is more than satisfactory, but within the number a softness of intensity (only 29% strong approval) is present that might pose issues in the future,” the Gonzales poll said.

Wes Moore vs. Larry Hogan

Fifty-two percent of voters polled said they would vote for Gov. Wes Moore if he were to run against former Gov. Larry Hogan, according to the Gonzales poll.

According to the poll, 38% would vote for Hogan and 10% are undecided. 

“These poll numbers are very similar to the election results two months ago, when former Governor Hogan vied for the open senate seat in Maryland,” the Gonzales poll states. “Former Governor Hogan has enjoyed a very distinguished career in politics, but his neither fish nor fowl style that served him so well during his tenure in office has become a touch passé in the current day political gestalt. His prospects next year, should he decide to run, will be determined largely by events beyond his control.”

Raising taxes to improve state deficit?

Maryland voters surveyed by the Gonzales poll strongly oppose raised taxes to deal with the state deficit.

Maryland lawmakers face a budget outlook worse than during the Great Recession in 2008-2009, with a $2.7B budget deficit for the next budget year, which begins July 1, 2025.  

Only 17% said they support the state income tax increase, while 60% are against the motion. Fifty-five percent of voters polled strongly oppose a sales tax hike, while 65% strongly oppose an increase in the state property tax.

“Voters constantly express a willingness to pay taxes for needed services like transportation and public safety, but not for a problem they believe their elected representatives created,” the Gonzales poll said.