PEOPLE
BY ALAN CHERRY
Understanding the Journey Ken Murawski, this year’s National Account Executive Lifetime Achievement Award, is driven to produce positive results for suppliers and providers.
Ken Murawski, president and
to help clients understand the journey and
not only the HealthCare Links team but
founder of HealthCare Links, has spent
to use HealthCare Links’ relationships to
also making heroes out of supply chain
his career dedicated to facilitating connec-
benefit both sides.
and nursing leaders,” said Murawski.
tions and fostering relationships. Or, as
In the nearly 30 years since then,
“I’ve been honored to work with a
HealthCare Links has worked with more
great team of people who have the
than 200 companies across the globe,
same values: a willingness to work
fessionalism in medical sales,” Murawski
from small tech companies to multi-
for the underdog, to lower costs for
said. While sales jobs often are surround-
billion dollar organizations.
healthcare, and to introduce disruptive
some would simplify it, “in sales.” “I love the art of selling and the pro-
ed by negative stigmas, Murawski said he
technology to providers at the GPO
sees things differently.
and IDN level. Indirectly, we’ve helped
“I’ve told my children that I never sold
the salespeople within our client
something that someone didn’t need. That
companies succeed by reducing the
puts a different lens on a career in sales.”
hurdles they face from competition
In 1975, Murawski took a job at Ken-
with GPO contracts.”
dall Healthcare (a predecessor to TYCO,
Despite the huge progress the indus-
and Covidien). Over the next 16 years at
try has made during his career, Murawski
Kendall that “job” became a career as he
still sees room for improvement. And it
moved from sales, to sales management
all comes back to improving relationships
and eventually to national accounts. As
and having mutual respect for the other
director of national accounts for his last
links in the supply chain.
three years at Kendall, he had profit and
“When you meet someone and are
sales responsibility for over 25 national
empathetic to their role, you begin to
and regional buying groups and $300 mil-
develop a relationship that could last a
lion in group sales.
long time. Relationships matter. That’s
In 1993, he left Kendall to found HealthCare Links, with the goal of creat-
been the key to our success,” Murawski Ken Murawski
said. “I would encourage providers to
ing a sales/marketing resource focused on
be up front with suppliers. Tell them
corporate accounts.
you’re not interested or when to follow
“The key was having the relation-
Murawski was recently awarded the
up. Conversely, suppliers need to respect
ships. I knew there was a role to play in
National Account Executive Lifetime
that answer and move on (unless you’ve
helping good companies compete against
Achievement Award, given to the person
done enough homework to know you
market share leaders,” said Murawski.
who best demonstrates excellence in his
can make them a hero by understanding
“When I started HealthCare Links, our
or her dedication to advancing and pro-
your value proposition).
goal was to provide value to the suppliers
moting National Accounts and a never-
we worked with and, more importantly, to
ending pursuit of advancing healthcare.
the providers at the GPO and IDN level.”
“What has been the most fulfilling
Murawski’s goal for his new company was
thing has been helping others succeed –
The Journal of Healthcare Contracting | December 2021
“Ultimately, we are in this together and all want to do our part in helping improve the healthcare system, whatever role you play.”
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