Repertoire March 23

Medical Distribution Hall of Fame

Anne Eiting Klamar

Joan Eliasek

Janis Dezso

Henri P. Lori

Smooch

Beverly

Trixie

Sniff

Streppy

Medical Distribution Hall of Fame

Preparing for Future Growth

What are we doing right now to ensure we have future success and growth?

This question keeps resurfacing in my mind. To grow and keep moving forward, we must be doing things today to prepare us for the future.

During this year’s Super Bowl, that question kept popping up as I watched Philadelphia Quarterback Jalen Hurts. In the 2018 college football national championship, Alabama Coach Nick Saban benched Jalen after a bad first half. Keep in mind, Jalen led them all season to that point. Going into the next year, Jalen knew he would not be the starter at Alabama. In an incredible act of selflessness, he stayed with the team, and started to prepare for what would eventually get him to the Super Bowl. During that season, Coach Saban in a similar fashion called on Jalen to replace the starting quarterback in the SEC championship game, which the Tide eventually won.

I am telling this story for two reasons:

1. It’s a great BAMA story.

2. Imagine if Jalen would have given up and not started preparing for growth in his future. Where would he have ended up? The following year, after graduating from Alabama, Jalen transferred to Oklahoma, where he continued to prepare for his future. He had a plan to get better and grow personally and professionally. Even though the Eagles lost the Super Bowl, the lesson of Jalen is one we can all learn from. Never stop preparing for your future – no matter what challenges you may face.

So, I pose the question to you: What are you doing to ensure you have growth and success in your future? Only you can answer that question. Take some time this month and list out specific things you can do to invest in yourself.

Speaking of the Super Bowl, I would be remiss not to talk about our industry’s Super Bowl, The Medical Distribution Hall of Fame. We could not be happier with this year’s class. All three of these women are rockstars in their own right, and deserving of this recognition. Please join me in congratulating Janis, Joan, and Anne. It will be my honor to host their dinner here in Atlanta on April 20, 2023.

Dedicated to the industry,

R. Scott Adams

editorial staff

editor

Mark Thill mthill@sharemovingmedia.com

managing editor

Graham Garrison ggarrison@sharemovingmedia.com

editor-in-chief, Dail-eNews

Pete Mercer pmercer@sharemovingmedia.com

art director

Brent Cashman bcashman@sharemovingmedia.com

circulation

Laura Gantert lgantert@sharemovingmedia.com

sales executive

Amy Cochran acochran@sharemovingmedia.com

(800) 536.5312 x5279

publisher Scott Adams sadams@sharemovingmedia.com (800) 536.5312 x5256

founder Brian Taylor btaylor@sharemovingmedia.com

Subscriptions

www.repertoiremag.com/subscribe or (800) 536-5312 x5259

Repertoire is published monthly by Share Moving Media 1735 N. Brown Rd., Suite 140, Lawrenceville, GA 30043 Phone: (800) 536-5312, FAX: (770) 709-5432; e-mail: info@sharemovingmedia.com; www.sharemovingmedia.com

Where care begins

While each patient journey is unique, medical diagnostics plays a crucial role in delivering data and actionable insights. At QuidelOrtho, we pride ourselves in providing these critical answers early and often in the healthcare continuum. See

Get the Picture

How reps can simplify their workload and keep customers’ physician office labs running smoothly.

Whether you are dealing with a long-standing lab customer or a new moderate complexity laboratory customer, your objectives are to assure their satisfaction by assessing and addressing issues related to the big picture issues: lab performance, the quality of the customer experience and availability of needed patient lab tests to assist in creating timely and effective patient care.

So, how do you get to the big picture? By rolling up your sleeves and addressing all the elements of lab management at a sufficient level of detail to assure smooth running of the laboratory. The big picture is made up of a far larger number of individual pieces that all need to fit neatly together. In this column, I plan to provide you with my thinking on management of those pesky individual elements to simplify your workload and to keep your customers’ physician office labs running efficiently.

For a physician office lab to operate optimally, it requires frequent communication and a commitment of all parties (Lab management, lab personnel, manufacturers and you as distributor and quarterback) to manage and maintain the lab. So, what are the moving parts that go into creating an efficiently running laboratory? Granted that a new laboratory will take more of your time and that of your key manufacturing partners, but both new and established labs have all the same needs and requirements. Let’s take a closer look.

By Jim Poggi

As you can see, there is a lot going on and it is your responsibility to quarterback the process and keep the customer from being overwhelmed. Close communication with your lab manufacturers is a strong asset and an example of good teamwork. As a potential best practice, I would suggest developing and communicating a checklist with your customer, your key manufacturers and any outside help you may have available. Making sure all the key activities are visible will make sure they all get timely attention.

The checklist above may be a good start, and a quick internet search or consultation with your lab manufacturer or lab specialist can also be a great starting point. Regardless of how you choose a checklist, make sure to do so and communicate it to all with a need to know. This is your activity road map and a significant key to success. It should be part of the laboratory’s procedure manual and referred to often.

Managing your action items

With so many items to manage, how do you keep it from becoming either an overwhelming chore or one that got documented but not used? I have two thoughts. First, I recommend you put a couple of checklist items

Is it COVID-19 or the Flu?

Quickly detect between Influenza A, Influenza B, and COVID-19* with a single test this flu season, with clear, trusted, digital results in 15 minutes.

* In the USA, this product has not been FDA cleared or approved but has been authorized by the FDA under an Emergency Use Authorization for use by authorized laboratories; use by laboratories certified under the CLIA, 42 U.S.C. §263a, that meet requirements to perform moderate, high, or waived complexity tests. The product is authorized for use at the Point of Care (POC), i.e., in patient care settings operating under a CLIA Certificate of Waiver, Certificate of Compliance, or Certificate of Accreditation.

This product has been authorized only for the detection of proteins from SARS-CoV-2, influenza A and influenza B, not for any other viruses or pathogens; and, in the USA, the emergency use of this product is only authorized for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of in vitro diagnostics for detection and/or diagnosis of COVID 19 under Section 564(b)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C. §360bbb-3(b)(1), unless the declaration is terminated or authorization is revoked sooner.

Key lab management activities and responsibilities

COLA, lab consultants and some software programs offer templates that can be very useful. Here is a checklist created by Stanford University: LABORATORY & SHOP INSPECTION CHECKLIST (stanford.edu)

(maybe test mix review) on every customer visit to keep the routine workload light. A full review of progress and open checklist items should be the subject of a specific laboratory quarterly business review. Second, I recommend paying careful and ongoing attention to the little clues on every visit: is the lab tidy, are there new techs that need training, what is the general lab morale? Does the lab seem calm and orderly? The attention you provide will position you well as an informed consultant who cares about your customer’s satisfaction and the quality of patient care they provide. In addition, frequent check-ins help to avoid surprises and crisis management activities.

I recommend you manage the quarterly lab business review as you would for any other important element of your business. Set appointment timing and agendas in advance. Request a list of questions and concerns in advance of the meeting

and share as needed with your manufacturers and lab specialists. Assure availability of practice personnel including the lab director and techs. Have your needed manufacturer(s) at the meeting for technical discussions. Refer to the checklist and make sure there are personnel specifically assigned to lab tasks and that your action items are up to date.

Key areas of focus from my experience include: training, test mix assessment, QC and PT review, spend and revenue trends. The more prepared you are for the business review, the more confident you will be. It shows through to your customers who count on you as their valued lab consultant.

Finally, every good business review creates a summary of the items discussed, which ones require follow up, who has the action items and when are they due to be completed. As important as the business review may be, assuring timely closure of action items is even more

important to maintain credibility with the customer and assure the continued success of their physician office laboratory. As the quarterback, it is your responsibility to take notes and communicate a summary after every business review meeting.

End game

The end game is to make sure all the three pillars of value and strong and well managed: clinical, economic and workflow. As you use a sound checklist, frequent communication with the customer and actively involve your manufacturers and lab specialists available to you, you will find management of the customer’s lab becomes a routine element of your overall business. I am also willing to bet that it not only keeps your current customers satisfied and testing, but it should also lead to referrals to other prospects in your territory. It is time well spent that pays dividends in every possible way. Make it part

Name Recognition

Today’s clinicians want comfort, safety, and recognizable infection prevention brands they trust.

By Paul Girouard

There was a famous quote from Mercury Astronaut John Glenn about how he felt when his rocket was about to lift off. He replied, “Well, the answer to that one is easy. I felt exactly how you would feel if you were getting ready to launch and knew you were sitting on top of 2 million parts – all built by the lowest bidder on a government contract.”

That sums up how in a prepandemic world we felt about infection prevention. Not much thought about product attributes, or quality, just “What’s the price?”

The world has changed. Clinicians want comfort, and they want to feel safe. They want recognizable brands they were trained on, and they have a history with. What’s the win/win here for distribution and suppliers throughout the supply chain? It’s better compliance and increased utilization of product.

What drives consumerism for hand hygiene? Significant use is a primary driver. According to the CDC, “Healthcare providers might need to clean their hands as many as 100 times per 12-hour shift depending on the number of patients and the intensity of care.”

Heavy usage by healthcare providers is tied to the five moments of hand hygiene as described by the World Health Organization:

ʯ Before touching patients

ʯ Before clean aseptic procedures

ʯ After bodily exposure or risk

ʯ After touching a patient

ʯ After touching a patient’s surroundings

The market has been better educated on what to look for in a hand sanitizer. The World Health Organization defines an alcoholbased hand rub as: “An alcoholcontaining preparation (liquid, gel or foam) designed for application to the hands to inactivate microorganisms and/or temporarily suppress their growth.” Their recommendation is for a formulation that is at least 60% ethyl alcohol active ingredient. Our customers are looking at the label of hand sanitizer to ensure the formulation is meeting up with the WHO’s recommendations.

When the pandemic was at its height and hand sanitizer was at its highest demand, the market had to use whatever was available at the

time. Many jumped into the market to help build enough supply. Look how quickly consumer behavior rebounded back to preferred brands. Compliance is being driven both at home and the workplace. Proper hand hygiene is similar to automobile safety. There are generations that are growing up using hand sanitizer. Just like they remind us to buckle up when we get in the car, it is second nature for them to practice good hand hygiene and remind us if we

miss an opportunity to wash or disinfect our hands.

The takeaway here is that moving forward our customers have a better understanding of hand hygiene and the brands that they use; utilization and compliance will continue to improve. We should all have a better understanding of product and appropriate regulatory guidance. We should use this as an opportunity to be a consultant when needed.

Our customers are looking at the label of hand sanitizer to ensure the formulation is meeting up with the WHO’s recommendations.

Smart Buyers

Five things buyers do to get you to lower your price.

By Brian Sullivan

Tired of customers asking you to lower your price? Don’t be. They should, but only if they are smart buyers. Below are five things that “smart buyers” do to make sure they are getting the absolute best price from you:

No. 1: Prepare

Today, it’s easier than ever to find out what other people have paid for your product/service. Savvy buyers often do a ton of homework on pricing long before they even take your meeting. If they know what others have paid for your solution, they now have a starting point for negotiations. Which means each time you heavily discount your price to one buyer, you may be hurting your chances of making a good margin on future deals.

Welch Allyn Spot Vital Signs

MONITOR

35% OF ONE-TIME READINGS MAY BE ARTIFICIALLY HIGH

THE PROBLEM IS CLEAR: MANUAL, IN-OFFICE READINGS ARE NOT SUFFICIENT TO PROPERLY IDENTIFY HYPERTENSION.1

The Welch Allyn Spot Vital Signs 4400 offers data you can trust with one tap blood pressure averaging for simple and accurate vitals management.

Learn how you can save more than $1,000/year in time 2 by switching to automated vitals at hillrom.com/hypertension .

References

1. Handler J, Zhao U, Egan BM. Impact of the number of blood pressure measurements on blood pressure classification in US adults: NHANES 1999-2008. J Clin Hypertens 2012; 14 (11): 751-759.

2. Yarows SA. What is the Cost of Measuring a Blood Pressure? Ann Clin Hypertens. 2018; 2: 059-066. https://doi.org/10.29328/journal.ach.1001012 Hillrom.com

No. 2: Always ask you to lower your price

Professional buyers are trained to ask you for a discount five times. Fortunately for them is that most salespeople buckle after the first attempt. And the rest usually fall after the second. But here’s the good news. You don’t have to be THAT salesperson. The key to great negotiation is preparation and reluctance. First, you know you are going to get asked for a discount, so don’t seem so shocked when it hits. Prepare what you will say the next time you hear it.

should), you provided something of value other than the price, and then asked for something in return. Often, they won’t want to give that something in return and will just stick with the original price. But if they take it, you are still happy because you gave, but received something of value back.

No. 3: Always ask for something

Buyers are taught that if they ask a salesperson to lower their price several times and the salesperson doesn’t budge, that price is probably their

to check with my manager about lowering the price.” By saying this, it tells the buyer they are negotiating with the wrong person. When you make a sales call (either live or on the phone) don’t forget that you are representing the company. You need to be the authority in the eyes of that customer. Assume every buyer is going to ask you to lower your price and discuss how to handle that with your manager long before you make the sales call. This little bit of preparation will allow you to be your own company’s decision-maker and in the process, you will gain or retain the respect of the buyer.

No. 5: Be willing to walk

For example, you might reluctantly respond with, “I would be able to match that price, but the solution would be without the _______ and the ________. But without those features you won’t be able to _______”

By lowering the price, they understand that they are NOT getting the same value. Lesson: Never give the same value AND lower your price.

Or perhaps you respond with this, “I am unable to match the price, but I would be willing to provide ______. But to provide that, I will need ________.”

See what happened here? They asked for lower price (like they

lowest price. But that doesn’t mean they are supposed to stop there. Smart buyers will make a list of other things in lieu of a lower price that they can get that will sweeten the deal. Examples of this may be better terms, more training, longer warranty, etc. As a salesperson, be prepared with a list of things you can give them that they find value in, but that won’t cost the company much money. By giving a little, the customer often feels like they won, and you walk away with a purchase order having not lowered your price.

No. 4: Ask the right person

One of the biggest mistakes a salesperson can make is to say, “I need

Buyers know that there are many companies who want their business. This gives them leverage over most sellers. They are taught that even if they like your price, they should be in no rush to say yes to you. They need to make you feel like they are going to walk away. And by letting you “stew” a little, there is a good chance you will proactively come back with a better deal. As salespeople, our body language and words need to project the same thing to them. If they sense you aren’t desperate for the sale, they will often skip the negotiation game and place the order.

So this week, be prepared to hear, “Is that your best price?” But then be even more prepared with pre-planned responses and behavior that will increase margins and set you up for your best sales year ever!

As Founder of PRECISE Selling, Brian Sullivan, CSP helps improve sales, customer service, negotiations, leadership, and presentation skills through seminars and Internet training programs. Go to www.youtube.com/c/BrianSullivanPRECISE and subscribe for weekly video tips that will help you become your company’s Top Sales Performer.

The key to great negotiation is preparation and reluctance. First, you know you are going to get asked for a discount, so don’t seem so shocked when it hits. Prepare what you will say the next time you hear it.

How Companies Can Improve Their Customer Service Practices

The danger of being average, and how to create amazing experiences for your customers.

By Pete Mercer

If there’s one thing that we can rely on year after year with any amount of certainty, it’s that things will change. Change is inevitable, especially in business. For business owners, embracing that change is part of the daily challenge of operations – finding the solutions to meet those challenges is an equally complex part of the puzzle.

Every year, businesses across the world spend months planning and strategizing the best ways to attract and retain customers in an increasingly competitive market. Customer service and the customer experience are at the forefront of conversations about success and excellence in business. How can business leaders shape the future of their organizations using a customer-centric approach?

Repertoire Magazine recently sat down with Shep Hyken to discuss how sales leaders can meet the rapidly changing environment head on and deliver better results for their customers and their businesses. The founder and CAO (Chief Amazement Officer) of Shepard Productions, Hyken is a customer service and experienced speaker.

How customer service has changed over the years

When you think of the recent hyperfocus on the quality of the customer experience, what is the catalyst for this shift? For Hyken, it’s a number of companies that have made great efforts to create a streamlined and unique customer experience. Companies like Apple, Amazon and Netflix have created dynamic shifts in the way that consumers operate over the years. Each of these companies shares that unique qualifier as a disruptor for the customer experience, creating a focused, personalized experience for consumers based on what their preferences are.

This creates an expectation from consumers that businesses provide an “experience.” Whether it’s in video streaming, online shopping or healthcare distribution, consumers are expecting personalized experiences from the businesses they purchase from.

Hyken said, “Every year, I make 10 predictions for what that

year will hold for customer service, and the first one is always the same: customers will demand more than ever before. I don’t care what kind of business you’re in, whether it’s healthcare or selling washers and dryers, you have a consumer. The consumer knows what the best experience looks and feels like, and they expect that from everybody now.”

Recently, Hyken was working with a group of executives at a major healthcare system. They had bought a piece of imaging machinery that was worth more than half a million dollars and were in the process of building a space for it in their hospital. The equipment showed up two weeks earlier than planned, frustrating and upsetting one of the executives. Hyken told the executive team that it was better to have something show up two weeks early, rather than two weeks late.

Understanding what the consumer expects from the details of a transaction is critical to the future of your relationship with them. It doesn’t matter whether they’ve spent $2 or $500,000.

Nailing the experience

Hyken is in the business of helping his clients create amazing experiences. He says that doesn’t mean the experiences are over-the-top, high budget extravaganzas, but closer to a consistently great interaction between your team and your customer.

He said, “It means that when our customers and clients refer to us, they’re going to say, ‘I like doing business with them because they’re always friendly. There’s always a fast response. They always take care of me.’ There is consistency and predictability in every interaction, which I call ‘moments of truth.’”

The executive team looked at Hyken, and one of them said, “You don’t understand. They knew what our schedule was. They knew when we could accept delivery. If I buy toilet paper from Amazon, they email me to tell me it’s on the way. Why couldn’t this company do the same thing?”

This experience is exactly why it’s so important to keep up with changing customer service trends.

A “moment of truth” is any time a customer, patient, or guest comes into contact with any aspect of a business and forms an impression. This concept was conceived by Jan Carlson, who posits that this impression can be good or bad. Hyken takes it a step further, saying that there is a third result: good, bad, or average.

A good experience is great, a bad experience is something you

“Here’s what you want your customers to say about you: they’re always knowledgeable, always friendly, they always call me back. They always do what they say they’re going to do, even when there’s a problem. I know I can count on them.”

can fix, but it’s hard to come back from an average experience. Hyken said, “An average experience is very dangerous, because customers don’t complain about that. They just disappear once they’ve found something better.”

Where sales reps get it wrong and how they can

improve “Customer service is not a department, it’s a philosophy.” For Hyken, this is one of the biggest areas where sales reps miss the mark. “When you tell them you’ve got to give better customer service, they think, ‘Well, my customers aren’t calling me to complain or ask questions.’ But that’s not what service really is.”

The biggest hangup here is the difference between the terms “customer support” and “customer service.” According to Hyken, when sales reps get this terminology wrong, they can completely misunderstand how to deliver a better customer experience.

Hyken works with companies to help build confidence in their sales leaders. It starts with seemingly simple concepts like being polite and doing what you say you’re going to do, followed by being proactive with communication. If there’s an issue, call the customer. If it’s bad news regarding the availability or functionality of one of your products, contact them before they have a chance to contact you. If something goes wrong, fix it.

He said, “Here’s what you want your customers to say about you: they’re always knowledgeable, always friendly, they always call me back. They always do what they say they’re going to do, even when there’s a problem. I know I can count on them. That we’re always followed by something positive is what we’re

looking for. More confidence builders, being proactive.”

Use modern tools to your advantage

In the digital age, we have a litany of tools at our disposal to make the job easier. Automation is helping customer service interactions, improving the experience for customers by being available to field simple frequently asked questions 24/7. Using modern, digital tools to your advantage is critical to success in 2023.

Even when you’re reaching out to cold prospects, digital tools are a great way to easily start conversations and build bridges. LinkedIn is an invaluable resource for sales reps that are looking to quickly generate leads and respond to customer questions. You can use digital tools to book your calls for you, taking away the administrative burden of getting on someone else’s calendar.

“Using technology to book appointments is so much easier. I used to have to call in and talk to

“An average experience is very dangerous, because customers don’t complain about that. They just disappear once they’ve found something better.”

Free Dock to Dock Shipping through March 31, 2023!*

someone that’s already busy, and I would probably be put on hold. They come back on and then we have to compare calendars, back and forth. It’s so easy to create an appointment now,” Hyken said.

“If I’m a salesperson in the healthcare industry, I send somebody my calendar link and they can sign up when it’s convenient for them. There are so many ways that technology can ease parts of the process.”

Finding the differentiator

Do you know why your customers choose to stay with your company? Better yet, do you know why some customers leave for other companies? Hyken and his team facilitate workshops for clients by walking them through a six-question process that is designed to help business leaders find what sets their companies apart from the competition:

1. Why would someone do business with me over someone else? This is your competitive advantage – find something unique to the experience that your customers have engaging with your brand. Hyken said, “Don’t say,

‘Oh, we have great customer service.’ Everybody says that. You need a true differentiator.”

2. Why would someone do business with someone else over me? You need to know the competitive advantages of your competition. What makes what they offer more attractive to your customers than what you offer? Do they have different processes? Better customer service? A different array of products?

3. What is the competition doing that I should be doing? Is your competition doing something unique to draw business in? This isn’t an opportunity for you to copy exactly what your competitors are doing, but it’s important to understand how they approach marketing and selling a product that might be similar to yours. This is part of the equation where understanding your differentiators can be very useful.

4. What are companies outside of my industry doing for their customers? Looking at a different

industry can give you a fresh perspective on what customer service and the customer experience should look like. “If we open these up to an audience, they’re going to say things like, Amazon and Apple,” Hyken said. “Or their favorite restaurant that recognizes them when they walk through the doors. We write down all these companies and we add why we like them. What are they doing specifically? Let’s get really tangible with our examples.”

5. Is there something they are doing that we could be doing? Bring in ideas and solutions from outside of your industry. When you look at the companies that are doing the best work in customer service, you can redefine what the customer experience looks like for your customers.

6. Why would someone do business with me over someone else? The circular nature of this process is intentional. By taking your ideas back to where it really matters, you can have a much clearer, thoughtful discussion on why someone would choose to purchase from your organization.

“What you’re doing with this process is having this nice little conversation that leads to what some project takes months to, if not even a year or more, to really get focused on the ways to differentiate yourself from your competitors,” Hyken explained. “Most of the time, the only thing that’s going to differentiate you is all things being equal. Everything may be the same, but the experience is better. We want to create a better experience at every level, if possible.”

Meeting Your Evolving Needs with Unmatched Quality

Dynarex Resp-O2™—our innovative line of outstanding respiratory solutions—is bounding ahead with an even wider variety of premium products. Now with an extensive selection of SUCTION SOLUTIONS, TRACHEOSTOMY CARE supplies, OXYGEN THERAPY products, BRONCHIAL/ASTHMA MANAGEMENT supplies, and so much more—Dynarex Resp-O2 ™ is your go-to for all of your respiratory needs!

PRODUCTS INCLUDE:

• Peak Flow Meters

• Volumetric Spirometers

• Tracheostomy Kits

• Suction Catheters & Kits

• Suction Connecting Tubing

Learn More: dynarex.com/resp or call (888) 396-2739

Editor’s note: Meet this year’s three inductees into the Medical Distribution Hall of Fame: Janis Dezso, Joan Eliasek and Anne Eiting Klamar. Each has demonstrated the skills and talent to lead successful teams and organizations, a desire to build up and train other professionals in med/surg, and legacies within their organizations and the industry at large that we should all aspire to.

Data is key

QuidelOrtho has passionately and purposely pursued the unknown. Leverage our 80 years’ expertise transforming medical diagnostics into actionable healthcare insights.

Unlock a healthier future.

QuidelOrtho.com

Listen, Learn and Mentor

2023 Hall of Fame inductee Janis Dezso has never missed an opportunity to expand her professional horizons, as well as give back to others in the industry.

Her plan was to become a physical therapist. Fascinated by the medical industry at an early age, Janis Dezso interned in the physical therapy department at a local hospital while in high school. “However, having a family took priority for me, and I set that goal aside,” she recalls. Still, a growing family calls for extra income, so in 1987 she began what was intended to be a temporary position with a medical device company, Suncoast Medical. Suncoast was later acquired by Aaron Medical, which in turn was bought by Bovie Medical. In 2018, Bovie was acquired by Symmetry Surgical, and most recently Symmetry Surgical was acquired by Aspen Surgical.

Dukal Delivers on Wound Care

Serving US healthcare providers for over 30 years, Dukal’s trusted and extensive portfolio provides quality, cost-effective solutions to protect and manage a comprehensive scope of wound care needs.

> Applicators & swabs

> Bandages

> Burn care

> Casting

> Dry dressings

> Impregnated dressings

> Medical tapes & adhesives

> Small procedure kits

> Wound closure

> Wound dressings

Antiseptic & Cleansing

Dressings Tapes

Enhancing family and community health through affordable wound care solutions. Distributors that work with Dukal are able to reduce overall product spend, maintain or improve quality, as well as improve overall fill rates in the categories we provide.

> To learn more visit dukal.com

Medical Distribution Hall of Fame

The passing years and changing hands have not fazed her. In fact, the longer she remained in medical manufacturing and distribution, the more convinced she was that she was exactly where she wanted to be. “I definitely found my spot in the industry and have never looked back,” she says. Starting in Bovie’s shipping department, she has held roles in customer service, sales and marketing management and currently is part of Symmetry Surgery’s executive leadership team. “Each of these roles provided a learning experience and further opportunity,” she points out. “I’ve always enjoyed being a lifelong learner; each time the company changed and grew, I changed and grew with it. And every step of the way, I was blessed to have a group of mentors, both within and outside of our organization, who supported, taught and encouraged me forward. My colleague, Rob Saron, has been a true leader, always believing in me and supporting me in every new experience.”

Additionally, Dezso has been a member of Professional Women in Healthcare – a volunteer-led member organization dedicated to providing a national voice and fostering leadership for women in healthcare manufacturing and distribution – since 2004. After serving on its membership committee for a year, she served as Marketing Chair (20052009), Chair Elect (2009-2010) Chairwoman (2011-2012) and Past Chair (2013-present). In 2022, she received the Anne Eiting Klamar Leadership Award of Distinction in recognition of her industry growth and accomplishments. Finally, an active member of the Healthcare Manufacturers Management Council (HMMC) since 2002, she joined its board in 2015, since serving as Secretary, President Elect and, most recently, President.

Nor has Dezso’s family life slowed down in all these years. She and her husband, Andy, have been married for 40 years, and she has two wonderful children, Andrea and Joseph, as well as a grandson, Emmett.

One of the greatest challenges one faces, whether in their personal or professional life, is the ability to learn and develop the right skills at the right time, notes Dezso. “It requires a lot of hard work, as well as a little luck,” she explains. “I’ve never been afraid of hard work, and luck has always been on my side.”

The value of relationships

“I’ve always said I feel blessed to be in this industry,” says Dezso. “What I most love about working with distribution are the relationships that are formed by striving toward a common goal to grow our mutual businesses. As our

industry has changed and grown, in turn, I have been able to grow and develop my own network. I have gotten to know, not just colleagues, but lifelong friends. The last few years, during the pandemic, these relationships have kept me sane. For someone like myself, who likes to travel and meet face-to-face with my customers, working remotely at my desk and meeting with customers by computer could often be overwhelming. That said, it was always fantastic to turn on that video and see a friendly face.”

Indeed, the value of relationships cannot be emphasized enough, she says. In addition to her day-to-day involvement with colleagues and customers at Symmetry Surgical, she has devoted years to promoting leadership roles for women through her involvement at Professional Women in Healthcare. “I am especially proud to be affiliated with this organization,” she says. “Being part of PWH has enabled me to give back to an industry that has given so much to me. The years I spent mentoring other members has taught me to become a stronger leader – to analyze and think in new ways, enabling me to bring creative thinking to my own team at Symmetry Surgical.

“As a founding member, a board member, chair and past chair, I’ve relished the opportunity to be a part of a movement that has helped change the face of leadership in our industry,” she continues. “When PWH was started in 2004, there were very few women in executive leadership roles in healthcare manufacturing and distribution. This past year, however, while attending the HIDA Executive Conference, the extensive number of women I saw reminded me of how far we’ve come.”

2022 Anne Eiting Klamar Leadership Award

Dezso’s years of service to Professional Women in Healthcare have not gone unnoticed. In 2022 she was awarded the Anne Eiting Klamar Award, which recognizes a woman who has proven herself to be an accomplished industry leader and has demonstrated a broadened scope of responsibility and professional development over the years. Recipients are respected industrywide for their confidence and integrity, as well as their commitment to giving back to the industry.

“I can’t tell you how excited I was to receive this award,” she says. “It is quite humbling to have my name on an award next to Anne Eiting’s.” Achieving true leadership calls for years of learning, she points out. It’s easy to make mistakes along the way, but essential to learn from those mistakes. “I think the moments that define one’s leadership

Rob Saron, SVP, Global Distribution, Symmetry Surgical

Janis Dezso is a great addition to the Medical Distribution Hall of Fame. I’ve known her since 1987, when she joined our company as a temporary employee in the shipping department. She soon moved on to a position in customer service, later becoming a

customer service manager. She eventually went on to work for our first international director and quickly learned that aspect of the business. Janis later became vice president of sales and marketing, and currently is VP of Global Distribution. She cares deeply about

her customers, both internal and external. Because she has worked in so many areas of the business, she has learned how everything works, from the inside out. In turn, she uses that knowledge to be an invaluable asset to the company and our distribution partners.

Cristopher Pellegrino, Director of Distributor Relations and Corporate Accounts, Metrex Research

I’ve known Janis Dezso for over 20 years. She was one of the first people I met in the industry and quickly became a great friend, mentor and, at one point, boss! It’s remarkable that she started in the warehouse at Aaron Medical and has risen to her current role at Aspen. Along the way she has had a huge impact on the industry by helping start – and chair-

ing – PWH, as well as leading HMMC as president. In fact, Janis has always been willing to share her talents by volunteering for multiple committees and councils within the industry. Whether it’s a quick text to offer advice or a formal mentoring conversation, she’s open and honest and willing to help. While Janis has been incredibly successful in her career

and has been recognized recently, not only by the Anne Eiting Klamar Leadership Award of Distinction but also with her induction into the Medical Distribution Hall of Fame, I know she’s most proud of her family. If you know Janis, it’s apparent how much she enjoys spending time with them. She beams when she tells stories about their recent accomplishments!

are those where we must leave our comfort zone and make the necessary changes to do better, be better and grow in our profession. I can recall times in my career when I could have reacted with emotion, but instead opted to reach out to one of my mentors for direction. Often, when I’ve spoken at PWH or worked with my mentees, I’ve pointed out that everyone should have their own personal board of directors – a group of people they can depend on to listen to their ideas, challenge them, champion them and tell them the truth, whether good or bad. Over the years I’ve had many great people serve on my personal board of directors. Some of them have truly stood out: Rob Saron, always my champion; Cindy Juhas, who tells it like it is; Anne Klamar, who challenges me to ask the hard questions and think in new ways; Cris Pellegrino, who is always available to bounce ideas around; and my husband, Andy, who is always willing to listen and support me, no matter what.

“Winning this award has reminded me of how important it is to continue learning new ideas and approaches and to continue giving back to the industry. I look forward

to continuing to do both in the years to come. Even more, I look forward to continuing to coach and mentor others who, like myself, are dedicated to a career in healthcare manufacturing and distribution, because it truly is an opportunity of a lifetime.”

“One of the best things about this industry is that it’s consistently changing in innovative ways,” she says. “I can always count on looking forward to the next horizon. The acquisition of Symmetry Surgical by Aspen Surgical signifies exciting opportunities and challenges ahead, and I’m looking forward to learning, growing and coaching as I navigate my way forward.

‘I anticipate continuing to develop an awesome team of professionals and colleagues as we work towards common goals, build new relationships and swap stories about the good old days. And I always look forward to spending quality time with my husband, children and grandchildren. When the time comes to wind down my career (and, no, that time will not come soon!) I look forward to traveling the world – drinking some great wine and spending time with the people I love.”

Protect. Cushion. Secure.

Clik-FIX® Peripheral Catheter Securement Device

More than 70% of admitted patients need peripheral IV catheters.1 Catheter securement is essential to help prevent motion-related IV complications.

B. Braun Medical’s Clik-FIX catheter securement devices are designed with patient care in mind. Made with a cushioning foam base, Clik-FIX is designed to maximize patient comfort and help reduce the risk of pressure injuries from the catheter hub.

To learn more about B. Braun Medical’s full line of Catheter Securement Devices, visit bbraunusa.com/clikfix.

WCS-1000B PICC/Central WCS-1006B Soft PICC/Central (also available for Neonates)

PCS-1011B Peripheral

Medical Distribution Hall of Fame

There’s no slowing down for longtime McKesson Medical-Surgical team member Joan Eliasek. With over three decades of experience in healthcare manufacturing and distribution, she has taken on a new challenge, having recently moved to Toronto to lead McKesson Canada as president of McKesson’s Canadian portfolio of business. “I’m extremely excited about the opportunity to lead McKesson Canada,” she says. “It’s a strong team that is integral to many aspects of healthcare in the country, including pharmaceutical distribution operations, specialty health and McKesson’s network of independent pharmacies (I.D.A., Guardian, Remedy’sRx, The Medicine Shoppe, Uniprix, Proxim, e-commerce retailer Well.ca and Rexall Pharmacy Group). Like McKesson in the United States, McKesson Canada played a central role in the COVID-19 vaccination effort, including administering many of the vaccines through our pharmacy network. I’m motivated by leading an organization that makes such an impact and is improving healthcare every day.”

In fact, this new chapter couldn’t begin at a more exciting time in the industry, she points out. As healthcare manufacturing and distribution continues to evolve, new service models remain a major driver of product innovation. “Digital products and solutions, as well as those designed for ease of use and operating outside of a traditional healthcare setting while being integrated with providers, mean our industry must adapt quickly to these demands,” she explains. Now more than ever before, it’s especially important for her team to be customer-focused to ensure they know who is using their products and how those products are being used.

Eliasek also recognizes the growing importance of Rx products that currently impact McKesson’s product portfolio, as well as its business and operating strategies. “These products have more regulatory requirements and demand quality control rigor beyond that of many traditional medical surgical products,” she says. “Adapting to these changes will impact what our distribution centers look like and the logistical requirements and timelines for delivering with excellence.”

Taking the long view

Eliasak began her career in 1991 at Baxter Healthcare Corporation as a field operations manager. Four years later, she joined General Medical (later McKesson MedicalSurgical) and has progressed through a number of roles

since then, each one offering her the opportunity to expand her skills and perspective. These have included: Director of Market Services; Vice President, Strategic Business Services; Vice President, Supplier Management; Senior Vice President, Marketing & Category Management; Senior Vice President, Product Strategy & Supplier Partnerships; and President of Extended Care Sales, where she led her team through four years of successive growth.

Since 2020, she has served as Senior Vice President, Customer Experience, for the McKesson Medical-Surgical business unit, where she has led a team of more than 6,000 employees in operations, customer service, materials management, sales administration and data management. Under her leadership, her team quickly stood up facilities and operations to support the COVID-19 vaccine effort in the United States, assembling kits to support 1.2 billion vaccine doses, investing in new distribution facilities and systems, and updating the business unit’s data platform.

“I have worked with some terrific people over the years who have taught me so much,” says Eliasek. “The time I’ve spent working with suppliers and negotiating contracts has been especially valuable. The ability to work through a tough negotiation and come to a mutually agreeable conclusion is an important skill – not only when working with suppliers, but also with customers. I have also grown in my ability to communicate and set a vision for large groups of people. As the size of the teams I’ve led has increased – from a small group of 15 teammates to a large, multi-layered group of over 6,000 – I have come to appreciate how different it is to communicate with a large group versus a small one that you can connect with on a very personal level.”

Through the years, her relationship with her distributor and manufacturer sales rep partners has evolved

‘The ability to work through a tough negotiation and come to a mutually agreeable conclusion is an important skill.’

Overlapping Clinical Characteristics of COVID-19, Influenza, and RSV

Xpert® Xpress CoV-2/Flu/RSV plus

Multiplex PCR Testing Solution with Enhanced Gene Coverage

• Multiple pathogens causing similar symptoms are circulating at the same time and need to be tested simultaneously to obtain an accurate diagnosis

• Get accurate detection and differentiation of SARS-CoV-2, Flu A, Flu B, and RSV in 36 minutes or SARS-CoV-2 positive results in as soon as 25 minutes ^

• Actionable results from a single sample with less than one minute of hands-on time and easy-to-use workflow; enabling effective management of limited resources

Visit www.cepheid.com for more information

* These products have not been FDA cleared or approved, but have been authorized by FDA under an EUA for use by authorized laboratories; Xpert Xpress CoV-2 plus has been authorized only for the detection of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2, not for any other viruses or pathogens; Xpert Xpress CoV-2/Flu/RSV plus has been authorized only for the simultaneous qualitative detection and differentiation of nucleic acids from SARS-CoV-2, influenza A, influenza B, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and not for any other viruses or pathogens. The emergency use of these products is only authorized for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of in vitro diagnostics for detection and/or diagnosis of COVID-19 under Section 564(b)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C. § 360bbb-3(b)(1), unless the declaration is terminated or authorization is revoked sooner.

^ Full test runtime is 36 minutes. SARS-CoV-2 positive results available in as soon as 25 minutes with early assay termination.

Medical Distribution Hall of Fame

as well. “I have worked with many terrific distributor sales reps over the years, as well as great manufacturer reps. At the beginning of my career at McKesson, my roles involved working closely with our sales reps to meet our customers’ goals. They have been consistently creative in their ability to problem solve and meet our customers’ needs. They always put the customer first, and while they are demanding, they remain grateful and always focused on doing what is right for our customers. I was lucky enough to lead McKesson’s Extended Care sales team. It was such a pleasure to see this group solve problems, work proactively with their counterparts and do the right thing to make sure our customers and their patients had what they needed to be successful each and every day. I am so proud to have been a part of that amazing team and cherish the relationships I’ve built with them.”

Stanton McComb, President, McKesson Medical-Surgical

I have worked with Joan Eliasek for nearly 12 years. Joan has continued to impress throughout the years. She has always been a kind, thoughtful and steady leader. No matter what the role or the challenge is, she maintains poise and delivers excellent results. I am most impressed with her consistent ability to hire, develop and promote great people, as well. We are a better team because of Joan and we could not ask for a better teammate. I am excited to see her continue to grow and do great things for Team McKesson in Canada.

received as much – if not more – from this organization than I have given to it.

Boards and awards

Eliasek has served on several boards in the healthcare industry, including Healthcare Industry Distributors Association (HIDA), HIDA Educational Foundation and Global Healthcare Exchange. She has also been a long-time advisor to the Professional Women in Healthcare (PWH) board – a volunteer-led member organization dedicated to providing a national voice and fostering leadership for women in healthcare manufacturing and distribution. In 2018, she was the first recipient of the PWH Anne Eiting Klamar Leadership Award of Distinction.

She joined Professional Women in Healthcare at its start, when it was an idea founded by Cindy Juhas, chief strategy officer, CME Corp., and Anne Klamar, chair of the board of directors, Midmark, she recalls. Within a few years, her involvement in the organization grew when she was asked to serve as an advisor on the board. “I have especially enjoyed watching the organization evolve and impact the many women who have been involved over the years, as well as the healthcare industry itself. I have

“Over the years, I have recommended to many of my colleagues that they, too, become involved with Professional Women in Healthcare. Networking with, and learning from, so many other professionals and leaders in healthcare has influenced my career in critical ways, and it has been my hope that others benefit similarly. The quality of leadership content and the opportunities for professional development that PWH offers to both women and men in the healthcare industry are simply unmatched. The women who volunteer their time to help run PWH care deeply about the organization’s mission to create an industry that is led equally by women. Their efforts truly drive results, and it’s quite inspiring.

“I was extremely honored to receive the 2018 Anne Eiting Klamar Leadership Award of Distinction. Frankly, to be mentioned in the same breath with Anne Klamar is a tremendous compliment. I have known Anne for many years and deeply respect her, both personally and professionally.”

As Eliasek and her husband, Steve, make the transition from raising teenagers to empty nesters, she looks forward to having more time to contribute to Professional Women in Healthcare, as well as other organizations in the industry, and to mentor others who are newer to the industry. And she is excited to become better acquainted with the city of Toronto, her new team at McKesson Canada and the role she will play in the company’s success.

‘Our reps have been consistently creative in their ability to problem solve and meet our customers’ needs.’

Leader by Necessity

Anne Eiting Klamar built a culture of learning, growth and philanthropy at Midmark.

Medical Distribution Hall of Fame

Anne Eiting Klamar had zero leadership experience when she stepped into her role as president and CEO of Midmark in 2000. At her urging, a leadership coach interviewed the people at Midmark to assess her skills as a leader. Most said she had work to do.

Not to be discouraged, she transformed that hard truth into a lifelong journey in leadership, teamwork and family governance, as well as advanced medical technology, manufacturing, and sales and marketing. She shepherded Midmark through challenging times and in 2015, confident that the company was in capable hands, stepped away from her role as president and CEO to become chair.

Family doctor

Anne Eiting Klamar received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Michigan and graduated with her M.D. degree from The Ohio State University. She practiced medicine in Urbana, Ohio, before moving to Versailles, Ohio, with her husband, Rob, also a physician, when she was named president and CEO – the fourth-generation Eiting to assume that role since the company’s founding in 1915.

Lacking any experience running a company, she wondered about her qualifications for the job. But her father, Jim Eiting, was retiring, and the company needed leadership. The board felt she could handle the job. “I honestly didn’t have the presence of mind to say ‘no,’” she later told an interviewer.

Speaking to a reporter from a Dayton newspaper, she said, “Physicians don’t necessarily have great leadership skills. They tell people what to do, and people do it or not. That doesn’t work in business.” Being the boss’s daughter didn’t make the job any easier.

She set about working on her leadership skills and completed a three-year program for owners and presidents at Harvard Business School as well as several executive education programs at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Under her leadership as president and CEO, Midmark implemented advanced manufacturing systems; expanded the company’s presence in the medical, dental and animal health markets, as well as digital diagnostics and digital imaging; and increased Midmark’s philanthropic activities.

Repertoire recently asked Klamar about her professional and personal journey.

The family in business

Repertoire: In an article published by the Northwestern Kellogg School of Business, you made a distinction between a “family business” and a “family in business.” What is the difference, and does that distinction apply to privately owned medical distributors today?

Anne Eiting Klamar: A “family business” tends to be familyowned, but there may not be any family members in the business. A “family in business” implies the family is working together in the business, which is unique. When families work together, there needs to be a coherent set of values, goals and a shared mission and vision of the future. That distinction could also apply to privately owned medical distributors and other “family in business” models in our industry. One example is the McLaughlin family, the second generation to run IMCO. The family works together to align their values and goals with the mission of the business, preserving core principles from the previous generation.

When I entered the role as president of Midmark, it was an investment in the family in business. It was humbling. We were providing employment to many people, and that motivated me to do my very best.

Repertoire: You completed Kellogg’s “Governing Family Enterprises” program. What are the key points you took away from that?

Anne Eiting Klamar: To establish family governance, you start with a set of principles that the family has agreed to. Once you have established a unified vision, mission and values, a family charter and other governance discussions and documents come into effect. Our family charter outlines the procedures and decisions that must be made to ensure the success of the business long term, providing the next generation with the framework to build their own governance. Our family council is a united front that looks out for the

‘When families work together, there needs to be a coherent set of values, goals and a shared mission and vision of the future.’

An extraordinary Summit. A truly unique destination.

Healthcare Hall of Fame Leadership Panel

Wednesday, May 3

This is a leadership panel you will not want to miss. These widely accomplished leaders have recently been recognized by the Medical Distribution Hall of Fame for their dynamic impact in moving our industry forward. Each has a unique background, path to leadership and influential contribution to our industry. This panel, moderated by Scott Adams, will share pearls of wisdom from their leadership journey, highlights of leadership, obstacles they overcame and what they see as keys to future leadership success.

Dinner On Your Own – Dine Around the River Walk

Monday, May 1

Connect with fellow leaders as we “Dine Around the River Walk” in small groups for networking dinners. The River Walk is full of dining, shopping and cultural experiences – considered the heart of San Antonio and just a short walk from the hotel. Restaurant reservation options are available at mypwh.org.

Please note: Dinner at attendee’s own expense.

THANK YOU 2023 SPONSORS

Registration Deadline: March 31

Member : $895 Non-Member : $1,095

Excellent content & amazing subject matter experts.

___

All sessions were high quality content and the networking opportunities offered made it easy to engage.

___

Enjoyed the purposeful times to network.

WHAT LEADERS EXPERIENCE AT THE SUMMIT:

EMPOWERING critical networking & leadership skills

LEARNING how to be a more confident leader

CONNECTING with others to have a more positive approach

DEVELOPING skills to be better positioned for future career opportunities

ACQUIRING strategies to get a seat at the table

EMBRACING new connections and a new sense of purpose & ambition

GAINING practical takeaways on leadership and success in our industry.

Scott Adams

ShareMovingMedia

Janis Dezso Symmetry Surgical

Anne Eiting Klamar Midmark

Joan Eliasek McKesson

Cindy Juhas CME

Medical Distribution Hall of Fame

best interests of the business and the family in the business. Our governance is divided into branches that come together to refine our vision, mission and values as we move into the future.

Teammate development

Repertoire: As you look back at your time as president of Midmark and in your current role as chair, what gives you the greatest satisfaction about the current state of the company versus when you became president in 2000?

Anne Eiting Klamar: From the beginning, teammate development was a big priority for me and I am delighted to see it continue beyond my tenure. As we continue to build a culture of learning and growth at Midmark, it is important to recognize the invaluable contributions of each team member. We want to ensure that everyone feels supported, respected and valued. This is essential for creating a positive and productive work environment. With this focus, I am confident that our organization will reach even greater heights in the coming years.

Midmark was participating in philanthropic initiatives back in 2000, but not nearly at the level we do today. We have a great focus on philanthropy and helping others, and it’s more purposeful now. It’s also a big part of our culture. We are proud to make an impact in our communities and the world. Our commitment to giving back is what drives us forward. Our teammates are encouraged to get involved in volunteering and charity activities from blood drives to domestic and mission work to building hygiene kits for refugees. It’s truly inspiring to see how much we can do when we come together to make a positive difference.

Digital world

Repertoire: In a recent Lodis Forum piece, you said, “We’ve become a medical device company through our digital diagnostics and digital imaging. And now, we are moving forward into the real-time locating system hardware/software space to track efficiency in medical office buildings and hospitals.” Have your expectations of distributor reps changed as Midmark has made these changes? If so, how?

Anne Eiting Klamar: The healthcare industry has changed so much over the years, and has therefore changed the expectations of the distributor reps. Our distributors play a prominent role, and their functionality has remained of high value to Midmark. The goal would be for distribution

to change along with, or ahead of, the industry. An example of this is our focus on dental health and its impact on overall health, or the evolving role of retail clinics.

Also, GPOs and IDNs have become more prominent in healthcare, creating more complex relationships between manufacturers, distributors and healthcare providers. With this complexity comes an even greater need for distributor reps to be knowledgeable about their product offerings and beyond.

With RTLS, we are continuing our transformation of healthcare experiences through clinical workflow data and analytics. Having the ability to track assets, staff and patients throughout healthcare facilities gives customers insight into how their practice performs. This has never been visible previously and helps create and maintain the most efficient and effective medical facilities, which is good for all involved.

Work as learning opportunity

Repertoire: In the Kellogg School of Business piece, you said about Midmark, “We challenge people to look back at their career in our company as one of the best learning opportunities of their lives.” How does a company instill that kind of culture among the people who work there?

Anne Eiting Klamar: At Midmark, we want to ensure that every single person has the opportunity to reach their greatest potential. That’s why it is so important for us to prioritize education and philanthropy in our core values. We strive to help each of our teammates grow, learn and develop new skills that will enable them to excel inside and outside their jobs.

Our goal is that everyone who works for us has access to the tools and guidance necessary to discover and live out their destiny. We offer tuition reimbursement for teammates and even board members who want to further their professional development.

‘From the beginning, teammate development was a big priority for me and I am delighted to see it continue beyond my tenure.’

Repertoire: You also said that succession planning is something “nobody wants to think about, but everyone has to do.” What are the most important keys to successful succession planning?

Anne Eiting Klamar: The worst succession plan is no succession plan. We view succession planning as a critical element of our business success. One component is education, identifying the best person to fill a role when it becomes vacant and preparing today’s teammates to be tomorrow’s leaders. Another component is dialogue. Some conversations are not easy to have when it comes to filling new roles, especially when there is a mismatch in perceived strengths and talents.

Professional Women in Healthcare

Repertoire: You have been active in Professional Women in Healthcare (PWH) since its inception. What makes you optimistic about the role of women in healthcare?

Anne Eiting Klamar: I am proud to be a co-founder and advisor for Professional Women in Healthcare. In the early 2000s, the need for change in the industry was recognized. With over half of medical student and dental student applicants being women, we needed to help the industry reflect our customer base, whether through PWH or another means. With the help of some great female leaders in the industry, we established PWH in 2004, and it has since grown to nearly 800 members, both women and men, creating leaders in our industry. Watching young women – the next generation of industry leaders – develop their skills is joyful and hopeful. These women are participating on committees, in chair roles, and vice-chair roles. They are genuinely interested in their own leadership development, whereas 20 years ago, it was “heads down.” Women and men, our members and associate members, are leading the industry and continuing to grow both personally and professionally. I am so proud of them.

World view

Repertoire: Are you still an active member the World Economic Forum? Why did you get involved? What has the experience taught you?

Anne Eiting Klamar: I attended the World Economic Forum several years ago but am no longer a member. What I can share is something I’m very passionate about –my commitment to World Vision. My husband, Rob,

and I are part of the National Leaders Council of World Vision, because we believe in the sustainability and scalability of the World Vision model. We are also the cochairs of the Maternal/Child Health Sector at World Vision U.S. Through this organization, I am working with some of the most amazing people I have ever met that are committed to moving people out of extreme poverty. Companies should know that they can create a greater good serving the needs of the world in different ways, from blood drives to giving back to those who are in extreme poverty. Imagine having no healthcare, no electricity, no access to clean water, and earning 14 cents a day while needing to feed your children. The people we work with at World Vision are passionate about healthcare and clean water because bad water usually means poor healthcare and even death.

Rob and I are looking forward to another trip with World Vision in the summer of 2023, when we’ll go to Zambia with a sense of purpose in an area of extreme poverty, doing what we can through World Vision to make a difference. It is truly a humbling experience, and we are both very passionate about it.

Repertoire: What lessons – if any – can U.S. healthcare providers learn from peers in other countries, even countries that we consider “underdeveloped?”

Anne Eiting Klamar: We can sometimes learn lessons from underdeveloped countries and also be grateful for what we have here in the U.S. For example, Zambia has the most dedicated people in healthcare I’ve ever met. They live in clinics in remote rural areas and care for patients 24 hours a day/ 365 days a year. They have no clean water, they may have an exam table, they may have a few simple diagnostics, yet they work around the clock to provide the best care possible. Imagine trying to deliver a baby on a dirt floor by flashlight.

We have advanced technology but can still learn the importance of good care and education. A group of medical students traveled to Kenya via an Ohio State scholarship to observe and work in a rural medical clinic.

‘Our goal is that everyone who works for us has access to the tools and guidance necessary to discover and live out their destiny.’

While there, the person in charge came down with severe malaria and the internet went down, among other significant challenges. These seven students were forced to take control of the clinic, performing small surgeries and delivering babies. They even had to go out and find bananas for a patient in need of potassium, calculating

how often the patient needed to eat a banana to keep his potassium levels high enough.

The students were amazing! They came home saying they would have never had that experience in the U.S. and that they had confidence in themselves now because they had to figure out things on their own. And they did. What a win-win.

Cindy Juhas on Anne Eiting Klamar

Cindy Juhas, chief strategy officer for CME Corp., met Anne Eiting Klamar at a HIDA Executive Conference the year the latter became president and CEO of Midmark.

ʯ We met at the opening luncheon and had lunch together. This was the infamous day that Anne asked me point-blank, ‘Where are all the women?’ I said that some were there but they all seemed to be in their rooms working! She said that we needed to change the fact that we were underrepresented at these major events, and PWH [Professional Women in Healthcare] was born. She helped make a safe place and a learning place for women executives within our industry.

ʯ Anne is one of the most collaborative leaders I have ever met. She listens, asks great questions, and leads the discussion to bring consensus in the end. Everyone

Jon Wells on Anne Eiting Klamar

feels like they won at the end of any group session I have had with Anne. She taught me a lot when she led PWH those first few years. I think of Anne all the time when I am leading any team.

ʯ Anne has always harped about planning your future. Too often, we forget to plan that last leg of our career. Figuring out what you love and are passionate about is one aspect when thinking about that last chapter, but also succession planning. That is not always something we businesspeople think about, but in her mind, it is very important. I believe it now myself and am figuring it all out. Anne helped me get there, for sure.

Midmark President and CEO Jon Wells first met Anne Eiting Klamar in 2000, when he was a product manager and she was recently appointed president and CEO. He offered these observations about her:

ʯ Anne has incredible empathy for the business and our people, which has been reaffirmed since the beginning. She has a keen awareness that for the company to be successful and profitable, people need to be cared for. Anne has reinforced and strengthened our culture to support our teammates. Through her leadership, she created a trusting environment where everyone feels valued and respected, and she encourages teammates to reach their full potential. In her words, to be more than they ever thought they could be.

ʯ Anne never settles. She consistently shows a desire to get better. She is a leader who is not afraid to change to improve. Anne firmly believes that you can’t be complacent and grow the business. Perhaps most important, Anne has focused on building a positive work culture and inspiring others to achieve new heights.

ʯ Anne genuinely cares for and wants to help others. First and foremost, she deeply cares about her family. And she has a tremendous desire to make a positive difference in the world. Her philanthropic work

provides a great example of servant leadership. She values the importance of giving back and she does so in a variety of ways. She is actively involved in several organizations that work to support those who are less fortunate, both domestically and abroad, supporting healthcare initiatives that provide access to quality healthcare. Her commitment to philanthropy is an example of what can be achieved when we use our time, energy, and resources for the betterment of others. For that, she will always be admired and respected.

ʯ Anne strongly supports our customers and has been instrumental in building relationships in our industry. Through her leadership as the co-founder of Professional Women in Healthcare (PWH), she is dedicated to helping women further their careers and has been a mentor to many. We are in an exceptional industry, and it didn’t happen by chance. It happened through hard work and deep relationships, always working on getting better, caring for others and building relationships to ensure we have a successful future.

Doctors and the ADA

What your doctors don’t know about the Americans With Disabilities Act may impact quality of care.

They are called the largest unrecognized minority group in the country – the 61 million people with disabilities. How prepared are physician practices to accommodate people with ambulatory, hearing, vision and cognitive challenges? According to some, not very.

For people across all categories of disabilities, attaining and maintaining good health has been elusive in an unwelcoming healthcare system, concluded the National Council on Disability in its “Health Equity Framework for People with Disabilities,” released last February. “People with disabilities utilize the healthcare system for disease management instead of disease prevention and can even view the healthcare system as a source of potential harm. It is a paradigm that exists as a result of avoidable systemic barriers within our healthcare system; institutional discrimination; and the resistance to incorporate even minimal disability cultural competency curricula into medical, nursing, and other health professional schools.”

Physicians often lack the knowledge, experience, and skills to distinguish clinical concerns arising from disability from those related to other health conditions, according to NCD. “One’s apparent disability – even when unrelated to the reason for one’s healthcare visit – can result in diagnostic overshadowing of the clinical concern and can have negative impact during the healthcare visit.

“Furthermore, and also due to a lack of training and familiarity, people with disabilities are sometimes viewed as asexual. ... The sexual health of women with intellectual disabilities is particularly ignored in terms of screening for breast and cervical cancer.”

The physician’s responsibility

“The physician’s ultimate role with any disability is to attempt to minimize or even reverse the causation of disability,” says Tom Schwieterman, M.D., chief medical officer, Midmark. “So, it is inherently logical that the environment where such assessment and therapeutic intervention is done should fully accommodate all types of disability.”

In fact, by law, healthcare providers must ensure full and equal access to their healthcare services and facilities.

Federal civil rights laws such as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, as well as the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act prohibit discrimination against Americans with disabilities, including in healthcare, writes Lisa Lezzoni, M.D., Massachusetts General Hospital, and colleagues in a recent paper in Health Affairs titled “Have Almost Fifty Years of Disability Civil Rights Laws Achieved Equitable Care?”

most likely in compliance,” says Cindy Juhas, chief strategy officer for CME Corp., the Warwick, Rhode Islandbased medical equipment distributor. “The hospital or system administration is aware of the rules and have standards for construction, signage and equipment that would comply with the ADA regs.

“In smaller doctor’s offices and clinics, they may not know either, but if they do, they may not have the money or wherewithal to comply,” she adds. “There is very little oversight in the industry. The ADA is enforced through the Department of Justice, and the main source of oversight comes from lawsuits or complaints against a healthcare facility. I think there should be some concern, especially in independent physician offices.”

Dr. Schwieterman is not surprised about the percentage of physicians who reported knowing little or nothing about their legal responsibilities under the ADA. But he points to several factors that might explain it.

“Clinical information in medicine is doubling every few months,” he says. “Documenting in electronic health records can account for a staggering percentage of the workday. ... [F]ollowing preventative and proper disease care has never been more challenging. So, it does not surprise me at all that knowledge of a legal standard for ‘reasonable accommodations’ may be lost in the shuffle. ... Providers need a healthier system where they have sufficient time to focus on things like the ADA and other quality-assuring initiatives.”

According to the U.S. Access Board, the Affordable Care Act gives examples of diagnostic equipment that should address the needs of people with disabilities, including examination tables, examination chairs (including chairs used for eye examinations or procedures, and dental examinations or procedures), weight scales, mammography equipment, X-ray machines and other radiological equipment commonly used for diagnostic purposes.

Despite these laws, however, in a 2019–20 survey, 35.8% of physicians reported knowing little or nothing about their legal responsibilities under the ADA, and 71.2% responded incorrectly about who determines reasonable accommodations for patients with disabilities, points out Dr. Lezzoni and colleagues. (Such decisions require collaboration between patients and clinicians.).

What’s going on?

“In larger IDNs and healthcare systems, doctors may or may not know the ADA regulations, however, they are

For its part, Midmark views disability-related guidelines and regulations as “valuable tools that provide guidance and insight to help us ensure we provide safe and effective solutions,” not simply “rules to be followed,” he adds. For example, Midmark barrier-free exam chairs meet or exceed the low height guidelines set forth by the U.S. Access Board. “It is vital for providers to be able to bring equipment to an accessible height for transfer. This includes facilitating a downward transfer for a patient utilizing mobility assistance such as a wheelchair. A low height transfer is safer for the patient and for any staff that may be assisting. Research has shown that when accessible equipment is not available, parts of the exam are often skipped.”

Midmark also offers accessories to assist with transfer and stability for patients, says Dr. Schwieterman. “Patient support rails provide the U.S. Access Board-recommended 1¼-inch continuous gripping surface to allow a patient to securely support themselves. Each support rail can be rotated 180 degrees to allow for a clear transfer surface. Once a transfer has been completed, the rails

‘Accessible equipment allows for better outcomes and can reduce treatment costs while simultaneously supporting a wider range of patients.’

Mobile Adjustable Height Lead Acrylic Window Barrier

With the same great protec tion you get from a Wolf barrier, this model features the ability to position the clear lead at any level between 45.25” and 74” for the ultimate in patient and operational visibility I t ’s great for dozens of applications.

Best of all, the internal counter balance mechanism makes it easy to lif t or lower…it requires minimal

• O verall width: 30.5”

• Opaque por tion of the shield has .8mm lead equivalent protec tion

• Clear panel provides .5mm lead equivalent protec tion

• 25” legs with casters provide strength, durability and easy transpor t within the clinic

• The per fec t right size solution for any environment: OR, ER, C T, X-ray, Urology, Pain Management, and Surgical Centers

• When lowered allows rapid transpor t to any location in hospital or clinic and easy-to -store

provide an extra sense of security and stability as they serve as barriers to the edge of the chair in seated and either supine or prone positions.”

Vision, hearing, intellectual impairments

Accessibility issues aside, providing high-quality care to those with hearing, vision or intellectual impairments presents its own set of challenges for the physician practice.

“Effective communication between patients and clinicians is essential to ensuring high-quality care and is required under the ADA and Rehabilitation Act Section 504,” writes Dr. Lezzoni. “For people with disabilities that affect oral or written communication (for example, relating to hearing, vision, and speech), various auxiliary aids, telecommunication methods and other services facilitate effective communication.

Disability and health disparities

Health disparities between persons with disabilities and their nondisabled counterparts have failed to improve since the National Council on Disability issued its 2009 report, “The Current State of Health Care for People with Disabilities,” according to the agency. Today, in the United States, if you are a person with a physical, intellectual or developmental disability:

ʯ Your life expectancy is less than that of someone without disabilities.

ʯ You are more than three times as likely to have arthritis, diabetes and a heart attack.

ʯ You are five times more likely to report a stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and depression.

ʯ You are more likely to be obese.

ʯ You are significantly more likely to have unmet medical, dental and prescription needs.

If you are a pregnant woman with a disability, you have a much higher risk for severe pregnancy- and birth-related complications and 11 times the risk of maternal death.

If you are an adult who is deaf or hard of hearing, you are three times as likely to report fair or poor health as compared to those who do not have hearing impairments.

An intellectual disability is the strongest predictor for COVID-19 infection and the second strongest predictor for COVID-19 death.

Source: Health Equity Framework for People with Disabilities, National Council on Disability, February 2022, www.ncd.gov/sites/default/files/NCD_Health_Equity_Framework.pdf

Introducing a Direct to EMR Connectivity Solution for the

#1 Selling Scale Manufacturer

Heath o meter® Professional scale customers can seamlessly integrate their height and weight patient data into their EMR systems with CEIBA’s device-agnostic IoMT interoperability. CEIBA Healthcare’s IoMT eConnect Box and Cloud platform allow customers to swiftly and securely integrate their existing and new Health o meter®

Professional scales to 20+ EMR or third-party systems.

•Easy integration to streamline operations, reduce risk, and better serve patients

•You don’t have to buy a new scale - the system is compatible with new and existing Health o meter®

Professional scales

•Health systems can integrate their scales and more than 1,000+ devices that Ceiba Healthcare already supports

•Brings true HL7 Fast Hospital Interoperability Resource (FHIR) data encryption to a health system’s integration initiatives

•Plug-and-play protocol with the 20+ largest EMR systems in the US, including Epic and Cerner

To learn more about improving your workflow through a new connectivity solution, please contact Scott Gottman at sgottman@homscales.com, call 708-297-6582 or visit homscales.com

However, research suggests that patients often do not receive these accommodations.

“Not surprisingly, a large fraction of ADA lawsuits involve failures to ensure effective communication,” she points out. “For example, deaf patients report that some physicians communicate through note writing, lip reading, talking slowly, or shouting rather than providing sign language interpreters or other accommodations. People with vision impairments also experience health and healthcare inequities, perpetuated by inaccessible communication with clinicians.”

Education: The missing piece

A 2019–20 U.S. national survey found that more than half of outpatient physicians never (36.7%) or rarely (19%) provide printed materials in large type, and more than half never (23.8%) or rarely (26.4%) give a spoken description of the exam room to their patients with limited vision, even though patients with vision impairments have indicated that these strategies would improve their healthcare experiences, according to Dr. Lezzoni.

Dr. Schwieterman points out that providing care for people with cognitive, vision-related or hearing disabilities can be challenging but can be addressed with proper

Many healthcare professionals were never trained on how to care for people with disabilities, but that may be changing.

Equipping a physician office to ADA specs is an important – and necessary – step for physicians to treat patients with disabilities. But equipment alone won’t make doctors, nurses and staff comfortable welcoming such patients, speaking or communicating with empathy, touching them and providing the best of care. All of these traits may come naturally to some caregivers, but others could benefit from formal training. Up until now, such training has been lacking.

“The lack of comprehensive disability clinical-care education and disability competency training among medical, nursing and other healthcare professionals perpetuates discrimination in healthcare against people with disabilities,”

concluded the National Council on Disability in its 2022 “Health Equity Framework for People with Disabilities.” “Federally financed medical, nursing, healthcare professional, and allied health professional schools, as well as post-graduate residency and fellowship programs, fail to incorporate disability clinical care into curricula or training. That must end.”

The Alliance for Disability in Health Care Education intends to change things. Since 2012, the Alliance has brought together educators from medicine, nursing, psychology, physical therapy, occupational therapy and other allied health professions to integrate disability-related content and experiences into healthcare education and

planning. For example, when examination rooms are designed (including layout, workflow and equipment), the practice can provide for adequate space for supportive individuals to assist in communication and translation of the encounter. “Sometimes, the best accommodation is to facilitate the existing and trusted accommodations the person has at their disposal,” he says.

“Regarding hearing disabilities, there have been advancements made in making the examination room quieter, more pleasant and intimate. Equipment is quieter to operate thanks to advancements in the engineering of actuators, and the ability for provider and patient to

training programs. Through journal articles, conference presentations and participation on advisory panels and workgroups, the Alliance strives to ensure that the need for disability-related education and training in healthcare is recognized and addressed.

One officer of the Alliance is Andrew Symons, M.D., a family physician at UBMD Family Medicine, an academic practice in Western New York, and vice chair for medical student education in the Department of Family Medicine at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo.

Since 2008, the University at Buffalo has integrated disability education into all four years of medical student education, he says. In their first year, students meet with people with disabilities, who talk with them about their experiences in the healthcare system. The meetings are facilitated with the help of local organizations providing support for people with disabilities. “For us, it’s not so important what the particular disability is, but rather, what is called ‘disability etiquette,’ that is, learning how to approach people in a patient-centered manner,” says Dr. Symons.

A lot of it boils down to listening and communicating with the patient, he adds. For example, rather than directly addressing the patient who has the disability, doctors often direct their questions and comments to a person accompanying the patient on the visit, regardless of who that person is vis-à-vis the patient and regardless of the patient’s need for assistance in communication, he says. Students are encouraged to address patients directly or seek help or information from the other person only after asking the patient if they may do so.

But there are other aspects to disability etiquette, he says. For example, sometimes doctors get distracted by their patient’s disability and fail to address the issue at hand, even when it has nothing to do with the office visit, such as an allergy. In other instances, when they lack disability-specific knowledge that can help with a diagnosis or treatment plan, they forget to ask the patient for information. “They forget that sometimes, patients themselves are the best source of that knowledge,” he says. In addition,

meet face-to-face, in close proximity during the encounter fosters a better experience, especially if the patient with hearing loss needs to read lips or needs gestures to understand the provider.”

Is it affordable?

Federal tax credits and deductions can help smaller practices offset expenses associated with purchasing ADA-compliant equipment, says Dr. Schwieterman. Section 44 of the Internal Revenue Code allows for a tax deduction of up to $5,000 for qualifying practices each year in which they purchase a new piece of compliant

as doctors become better trained and more familiar caring for people with disabilities, the more comfortable they tend to be managing patient care themselves rather than routinely referring patients to a specialty clinic.

In their second year at the Jacobs School, students focus on the potential challenges of clinical encounters with patients with disabilities. They get input from a physiatrist, that is, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician, then practice with people from the community with disabilities who have been trained to role-play real patients.

“So, in the first year, we’re addressing the fear of talking to people with disabilities, and in the second year, we’re addressing the fear of touching and caring for them,” says Dr. Symons.

In Years 3 and 4, students are provided clinical experiences in the community, perhaps in a primary care clinic or organization that focuses on people with disabilities, or through training from physical therapists, neurologists or other specialists.

“I believe that because of our curriculum, our students are more comfortable with patients with disabilities,” he says. The program has been well-received by students and faculty as well as the local people with disabilities who work directly with the students, he says. “They appreciate the opportunity to talk to student physicians. They love being able to teach them.”

‘In the first year, we’re addressing the fear of talking to people with disabilities, and in the second year, we’re addressing the fear of touching and caring for them.’

equipment. “Perhaps more important, accessible equipment allows for better outcomes and can reduce treatment costs while simultaneously supporting a wider range of patients,” he says. “It is projected that the impact of improving prevention and treatment would result in a reduction of $220 billion in treatment costs.”

And what about reimbursement for physicians caring for people with disabilities?

“Physicians classify patients with diagnoses as a foundation to improve clinical outcomes, including the obvious goal of reducing any disability,” says Dr. Schwieterman. “As such, physicians ARE given higher reimbursement for patients with diagnoses that lead to disability. This occurs via higher payments in Medicare Advantage for patients at higher risk for developing chronic conditions and those with extensive disease burdens. In addition, there is more robust reimbursement

for complex clinical engagements at office visits (E&M codes), such as cases where disability is present. However, our payment system is built on diagnoses and procedure codes and less on disabilities.

“What is lacking for physicians is both formulating a diagnosis AND properly qualifying and categorizing a disability in legal (i.e., ADA) terms and knowing the precise level of performance for a patient. The time and lack of tools to do the latter makes this difficult. Qualifying a disability in terms akin to the ADA often involves a

‘The system is geared to define the ‘why and what’ related to disability, but far less ‘how’ a person is living with it.’

multidisciplinary assessment of how well that patient can perform activities of daily living, perform ambulation, achieve routine physical tasks, perform cognitively, etc. The ambulatory setting is simply not set up to perform such an extensive workup for everyone showing signs of disability at a routine office visit.

“Finding a way to close this gap and tie a disability in both clinical and legal terms to payment structures would be a positive step forward.”

Says Cindy Juhas, “By far, the greatest advances are with ambulatory difficulty. And I think this is mostly because manufacturers of compliant equipment and their distributor partners are educating physicians and healthcare systems. Unfortunately, I think all the other disability types need to be addressed. From a distributor perspective, there aren’t a whole lot of products out there that can help with these. I have seen some strides with vision difficulty, so that one probably has the best chance of getting some attention.

“I believe that until there is some real oversight from the government, there is little incentive for these other types of difficulties to be addressed. Most of the burden lands on the family of the disabled as of now.”

According to Dr. Schwieterman, “The medical community needs to increase their focus and ability to determine the capacity an individual currently has for each type of disability. Providers often are not aware of just how problematic a hearing or vision disability is for a patient, how difficult it is for a patient to walk or climb steps, or how well a patient functions in the ‘real world.’ Too often, those knowledge points about a patient are learned only anecdotally or via family members, or not at all.

“The system is geared to define the ‘why and what’ related to disability, but far less ‘how’ a person is living with it.”

Editors Note: Can your physician customers use some help as they work to provide equal access to care for patients with disabilities? Steer them to the CMS Office of Minority Health (www.cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-Information/OMH/ resource-center/hcps-and-researchers/Improving-Access-toCare-for-People-with-Disabilities) for tools and resources on how to improve physical accessibility, how to communicate effectively with patients with vision or hearing impairments, and more. The U.S. Department of Justice has a simple Q&A regarding physicians’ ADA responsibilities to individuals with mobility disabilities at www.ada.gov/resources/medical-care-mobility.

Building Supply Chain Resilience

How an Arizona report on its healthcare system can help the entire U.S. healthcare supply chain.

In 2016, HHS released the 2017-2022 Health Care Preparedness and Response Capabilities guidance to describe what the healthcare delivery system, including healthcare coalitions, hospitals and emergency medical services must do to effectively prepare for and respond to emergencies that impact the public’s health. There had been lessons learned from natural disasters like hurricanes in Texas and Florida, but nothing foretold the coming COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

The U.S. healthcare system wasn’t alone in the lack of preparedness. Global action and leadership was needed throughout the world’s healthcare systems. For example, the European Union created the European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority in response to the pandemic, but it must continue to support countries in revamping and nurturing their own preparedness capacities.

In Arizona, a team of Arizona State University (ASU) undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students, along with staff from the Healthcare Transformation Institute, which is affiliated with ASU, surveyed members of the Arizona Coalition for Healthcare Emergency Response (AzCHER), including hospitals, long-term care facilities, medical clinics, dialysis centers and other medical care providers, and interviewed medical supply manufacturers, distributors and government agencies to determine supply chain vulnerabilities for:

ʯ Blood.

ʯ Medical gas.

ʯ Fuel.

ʯ Pharmaceuticals and nutritional products.

ʯ Leasing entities for biomedical and other durable medical equipment.

ʯ Disposables supplies, including PPE.

They were led by Professor Eugene Schneller, adjunct faculty member Jim Eckler and Assistant Professor Mikaella Polyviou in the Department of Supply Chain Management at the W.P. Carey School of Business at ASU. Schneller, Eckler and Polyviou spoke at The Journal of Healthcare Contracting’s IDN Insights: Showcasing Level IV Health Systems last year, chronicling supply chain preparedness for the long game and the implications for providers, suppliers and distributors.

Report: Building Supply Chain Resilience in the Arizona Healthcare System

Their report on Building Supply Chain Resilience in the Arizona Healthcare System was prepared to familiarize the Arizona healthcare community

with the need for resilient supply chains and to propose solutions for the design and sustenance of a resilient and prepared supply chain. It focused on the perspectives of Arizona providers of care but also considered other key stakeholders: manufacturers/suppliers, distributors, GPOs and governments. Most of the findings, conclusions and recommendations in the study for Arizona providers are applicable to other U.S. providers.

“Documented in the full report, Building Supply Chain Resilience in the Arizona Healthcare System, are clear and significant vulnerabilities along with a wide range of mitigation strategies, the capabilities required to engage in mitigation activities and the required business structure,” said Ann-Marie Alameddin, president and CEO of AzHHA, in a statement. “AzHHA and AzCHER will utilize this information to coordinate effectively within the state, in collaboration with ESF-8 public health and medical service agencies, to develop a joint understanding and strategies to address vulnerabilities in the medical supply chain.”

Alameddin says these strategies provide AzCHER a pathway to enhance its efforts in meeting its mission to build a more resilient healthcare system so that it is prepared to respond to and recover from a largescale emergency or disaster.

More frequent and significant disruptions for patients and healthcare workers

AzCHER is a federally funded program administered by the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association (AzHHA) through a grant from the Arizona Department of Health Services. AzCHER has focused on the availability of critical medical supplies and equipment prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. It worked closely with county public health departments, hospitals and healthcare facilities across Arizona to provide resources and means to access medical supplies and equipment.

And in 2022, AzHHA contracted with the Healthcare Transformation Institute to complete the Medical Supply Chain Integrity Assessment for AzCHER.

There are increasingly more frequent and significant disruptions that influence patients and healthcare workers. These disruptions make the systems and their services vulnerable to failure. And the highly fragmented structure of the U.S. healthcare system leads to many providers learning about the problems too late with insufficient time to properly adjust to the situation.

Many of the disruptions during the onset of COVID-19 were related to reliance on suppliers across the globe, who themselves faced disruptions. This was especially true for PPE. And for blood, disruptions had to do with the reluctance of their donors, the source of their supply.

Ann-Marie Alameddin

Before COVID-19, PPE supplies were largely treated as “Class C” items by organizations, or least important. During the pandemic, they had to engage more closely and at a strategic level with their suppliers. A blood supplier told the research team:

“[…] things like PPE supplies, [which are] typically a “C item” [for which] we don’t heavily manage… but, in light of the circumstances, they became more of a critical supply. So, when we engage those suppliers, we engage to a better, more strategic level… I know, most of the executive team at those suppliers… at the chief operating officer level. So that’s the level we were dealing with we had to get to that level people that can make decisions quickly, not only on our side, but commitments from the supplier.”

globally,” Schneller said in a statement. “The findings and recommendations for building resilience apply to all aspects of healthcare delivery. We strongly urge more focus on six fundamental supply chain strategies.”

Those six mitigation strategies include:

ʯ Increased flexibility and redundancy.

ʯ Formal collaboration and coordination programs.

ʯ Information transparency across the supply chain.

ʯ Good governance of the supply chain.

ʯ Organizational authority to do what is needed.

ʯ Good supply chain management practices.

of business capabilities to support the supply chain processes and preparedness mission, including:

ʯ Information visibility for monitoring risks, product availability and setting allocation goals.

ʯ The presence and commitment to a collaborative culture.

ʯ Leveraged sourcing to competitively procure necessary products.

ʯ Capital to finance the implementation and operation of these capabilities.

ʯ Competencies in the practice of supply chain management.

These capabilities can enable organizations to successfully apply mitigation strategies. To establish and manage these capabilities, basic supply chain management structures are needed in the organizations. Four basic business structures to support the capabilities include:

ʯ Information systems.

ʯ Governance processes.

ʯ Trained workforce.

ʯ Distribution networks.

An extensive assessment of the uncertainties surrounding PPE and supply issues in the U.S. revealed overlapping entities and multiple networks. But strategies to buffer against dependencies are quickly evolving.

Mitigation strategies to help provider resilience and preparedness

Building Supply Chain Resilience in the Arizona Healthcare System addressed supply chain resilience and preparedness needs for healthcare providers to meet long-term disruptions in the supply chain.

“This work, while focused on providers in Arizona, is directly applicable across the country and

The report also includes recommendations for upgraded business structures and capabilities to facilitate these strategies.

“Experts have predicted that medical supply chain disruptions will increase in frequency and severity in the coming years,” Schneller added. “More resilient supply chains are critical for our ability to confront and manage these disruptions.”

According to the report, the mitigation strategies above provide a path for providers to reduce the impact of supply chain disruptions and develop resilient organizations. However, organizations need a set

The report scrutinized seven categories of supplies and their ability to respond to the experienced surges in demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reliance on the global supply chain significantly impacted the availability of PPE supplies like masks and gowns. Deficiencies in supply for other categories were impacted for various reasons and impacting the supply of blood was the reluctance of donors to come to blood bank locations due to fear of travel and being in public places.

Building Supply Chain Resilience in the Arizona Healthcare System reveals the important roles fulfilled by healthcare coalitions and provides insight into their potential role as an important supply chain facilitator. Find the full report at azcher.org.

“Experts have predicted that medical supply chain disruptions will increase in frequency and severity in the coming years. More resilient supply chains are critical for our ability to confront and manage these disruptions.”

Supply Chain Leader Profiles

What project or initiative are you looking forward to working on?

Our teams are really looking forward to refocusing our efforts on strategic product standardization. The ongoing supply shortages have made standardization and backorder management an ongoing challenge. Our team is focused on aligning with manufacturers and distributors to create transparency across the supply chain. Standardization brings many benefits to hospitals and suppliers from a quality, cost and operational efficiency standpoint. It will be exciting to further this ongoing strategic work.

What changes brought about by the pandemic are here to stay in the supply chain?

Steve Reilly, Senior Director, Supply Chain, Universal Health Services

What are the most important attributes of successful supply chain teams today?

Culture, teamwork and resiliency stand out as the most important attributes for successful supply chain teams today. The pandemic, supply shortages and inflation have created an extremely difficult environment. The culture of resiliency we have built across our supply chain team has allowed us to keep pushing through and bouncing back from setbacks and challenges. Having a team that works hard and supports each other has made a huge difference. One additional critical factor is UHS senior executive level support for the supply chain function. We have continually been given the necessary resources to enhance, improve and ensure that we are effectively supporting our customers.

Our Supply Chain team has emerged from the pandemic stronger and well positioned for long-term success. The pandemic has forced our team members to be more creative to find solutions to problems. A focus on aggressively managing backorders and communication of supply issues will continue. In addition, many hospitals will continue to maintain their own distribution capabilities for PPE supplies in the potential event of another pandemic.

Whom do you look up to for inspiration or mentorship?

I have been fortunate to have worked for some excellent leaders over the course of my career.

Mike Nelson, our Senior Vice President of Strategic Services at

Editor’s note: The following supply chain leaders were featured in recent issues of The Journal of Healthcare Contracting, a sister publication of Repertoire Magazine.

UHS, has been a great mentor and has helped me understand how to communicate concisely and effectively to senior executives. He is excellent at deescalating tense situations and finds a way to deliver meaningful outcomes across our organization. He has taught me the value of prioritizing the most impactful work and always putting our customers first.

Ray Davis, our Vice President of Supply Chain at UHS, has helped me improve my leadership skills and introduced me to new ideas. He has been tremendous leading the department through the supply chain challenges over the past few years and keeping our focus on our hospital patients and customers. He also established a five-year strategic plan and solicited support from all members

of the supply chain department. This collective buy-in has been critical to our success over the past five years.

How do you keep your team motivated despite conflicts and obstacles?

Focusing on the UHS mission to serve our patients, caregivers and field team members motivates our team to work through any conflicts or obstacles. In addition, we are heavily focused on career development via training, career ladders and other ongoing investments of our team members. This makes our collective team stronger and better prepared to serve our hospitals. The organizational focus on employee engagement enables us to quickly resolve conflict and allows us to effectively move

forward together. In addition, the UHS Human Resources team launched an initiative called TEAM C.A.R.E. (Connecting, Attracting, Retaining and Engaging) focusing on culture, cross-team collaboration and career development across the organization.

What one thing makes you most proud?

I am extremely proud of how our team members have stepped up to serve our customers during some very challenging times. Over the past three years we made sure our caregivers had the products they needed to serve our patients. In addition, we continued to accomplish our strategic goals including completing our normal sourcing initiatives and improving processes.

Laura Kowalczyk, VP Supply Chain and Support Services, UAB Medicine

Please tell us about your role/responsibilities within your organization.

I am responsible for the strategic direction of UAB Medicine’s end to end Supply Chain; Environmental Services; Food and Nutrition Services; Guest Services; Patient Advocacy; Patient Transport; and Spiritual Health.

In what ways has the supply chain changed for the better over the last 2-3 years?

I am thankful for the attention that the COVID pandemic has placed on the healthcare supply chain. All of us who have been in the profession for years have never doubted the supply chain’s importance to our clinical operations, but the pandemic highlighted its level of criticality and

importance to patient care. With this added attention, we are experiencing both internal organizational as well as external industry focus on what resources are needed to support our disrupted supply chains. These resources include labor, data analytics, industry transparency and broadened clinical attention and participation.

When you hear words like diversity and equity in the workplace, what does that mean to you? How can those things contribute to the success of an organization?

I am personally very passionate about this topic. I love how our Chief Diversity Officer defines these

efforts to improve my knowledge and my leadership.

How do you focus on your growth as a leader?

What about its challenges? What keeps supply chain leaders up at night heading into late 2022?

I continue to be concerned about our labor force from two perspectives. First, like our clinical counterparts, the supply chain teams have been and continue to be disrupted by the impacts of the COVID pandemic globally and locally. Disruptions continue to exist on a daily basis and this is taxing our teams resulting in burnout and increased turn-over rates. Secondly, I am concerned about where we will continue to find talented staff to join our supply chains. Our industry continues to compete with our retail, automotive and manufacturing counterparts who may be able to offer schedules and benefits that are not necessarily available in our 365, seven day per week healthcare environment. Additionally, the increased acceptance and movement toward a remote workforce in our corporate teams can be a double-edged sword. We find increased responses to openings in these areas; however, we are also competing nationally on salary rates which has added a new challenge to recruitment for these positions.

elements for us at my organization: Diversity is a fact, Equity is a choice and Inclusion is an action. These tenants are critical to developing a healthy, well-rounded team, but critical to creating a workplace that brings in differing perspectives, experiences and thought. In all my areas of responsibility, we are implementing a new recruitment and interview process that I am excited about. It is designed to bring an intentional focus on diversity, equity and inclusion which we believe will result in increased staff recruitment and retention.

Has anyone come alongside you to mentor you during your career?

I like to say that there has been a team that has mentored me along my career. I did not start my career in the Supply Chain operations so when I entered it through my legal positions there were many individuals who took the time to teach me and encourage my growth in this wonderful and diverse field. The greatest mentoring for me, however, has been from my own leaders and staff who teach and coach me every day and are the catalyst for continual

I sincerely believe that leadership is the most important responsibility that I have in my role. I have always been fascinated by what characteristics define a good leader. This fascination has led me to read about many leaders across many industries and to consistently seek feedback from other leaders, staff and experts formally and informally. I also participate in any opportunities offered through our many leadership developmental educational sessions whether as a panelist, teacher, or student. I am always so thankful to be able to listen and learn from other leaders on how they manage the many challenges of leadership in our complex environment.

What project or initiative are you looking forward to working on in the next 3-6 months?

There are several projects that we will be concentrating on in UAB’s Food and Nutrition and Environmental Services departments focused on patient experience and enhancement of our services. Now that we are moving away from COVID, we are getting some of these initiatives back on the table. In the supply chain, we are in the midst of several planning sessions to take a step back and relook at multiple processes that either no longer serve our mission or have become over burdensome and need to be re-tooled. We are also looking at our supply chain roles and those functions that we thought were going to be temporary changes that now need to be hardwired and restructured to continue to meet the demands of our large organization.

I sincerely believe that leadership is the most important responsibility that I have in my role.

Introducing the All-New 461 & 403 Exam Chairs

The 461 and 403 Exam Chairs are the latest innovation in MTI’s line of next-generation exam chairs. These fullypowered programmable chairs deliver quality and comfort to patients and caregivers at a more economical price. They offer a safe and sturdy option with excellent patient access for caregivers. Each of these chairs has been engineered with powered lift and back functions, featuring Soft Start/ Stop motion control, for smoother patient experiences and decreased caregiver strain. Designed with specialists’ needs in mind, the 461 and 403 are the answer to caregivers looking for a quality, comfortable, fully-powered chair to improve patient outcomes.

Contact your MTI representative today to learn more, or visit us at www.mti.net

A Pillar of Support

One Cardinal Health rep strives to improve the lives of others, on and off the job.

When Jacquelene Davis made the decision to begin a new career in pharmaceutical sales in 2005, she was looking for ways to improve the quality of life for others. Her previous experience in social work, together with her involvement in organizations working to support women in minority communities, provided a solid springboard for doing so. In 2016, she joined Cardinal Health, and two years later she became an OR specialist.

For nearly 20 years, Davis has navigated a host of industry changes, including transitioning models of patient care delivery and a global pandemic that led to major difficulties in obtaining the necessary resources to deliver seamless solutions. She attributes her success to her ability to always remain focused on what is best for her customers and their patients. “Especially in the most challenging times, I would imagine if it was my own loved ones waiting for a procedure,” she says.

Changes and challenges

In 17 years, Davis has navigated a number of industry evolutions. “Some of the biggest changes I’ve experienced in medical product sales have to do with the way integrated delivery networks (IDNs) have developed systems of continuous and accountable care,” she says. Most IDNs deliver patient care around a model that permits patients to seek care across various facilities, thereby improving patient outcomes, she points out. “In addition, the ability for patients to receive medical consults from their home has led to an increase in at-home diagnostic testing and improved care for the elderly and immobile populations.”

With the positives have come some challenges, Davis continues. “As for so many other sales

Jacquelene Davis

reps, the greatest challenges I’ve encountered in medical products sales have emerged as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” she says. “The scarcity of raw materials led to the inability to manufacture certain medical products. At the same time, there were transportation, labor and port issues, which resulted in major backorders and discontinuation of materials. My colleagues and I had to work together, learn to think more creatively and become more resilient to determine the best possible solutions. We leveraged the scale and breadth of our portfolio and distributed products, as well as solutions and supply chain expertise, to minimize the impact of these fluctuating supply chain challenges on our customers.”

To the best of her ability, she controlled unknown variables and focused on delivering solutions that would best support her customers’ ability to manage crises. “Whether this entailed building Presource® packs and kits, or providing realistic expectations on delivery timelines and availability of materials, I was available and present for my customers throughout the duration of the pandemic.”

Adding to supply chain difficulties was the inability to meet with her customers in person, notes Davis. Working remotely made it more difficult to cultivate authentic relationships with clinicians and customers, she explains. “Initially, this impacted my ability to problem solve and deliver clinical value in ways we were accustomed to doing. However, I quickly navigated through the challenges and found effective ways to be ever-present in my accounts and hold meaningful conversations with customers, demonstrating a deep knowledge and understanding of their business.”

Indeed, her extensive knowledge, reliability and general sense of professionalism have helped Davis forge strong relationships with her customers before, during and since the pandemic. “One of my key strategies for staying connected with customers has been to offer a ‘total office call,’ she says. “I collaborate with every single healthcare professional, from corporate employees to clinicians and environmental and supply chain members, who handle the products I sell. I want them to trust in my service and my ability to support them and make their jobs easier. I pride myself on being ever professional and always bringing value to my customers.”

Community outreach

Long before Davis channeled her desire to help others through her career, she began working closely with Delta Siga Theta Sorority, Inc., a sisterhood comprised of mostly Black college educated women, which was founded in 1913. “The organization’s mission is to serve the community through the principals of Sisterhood, Scholarship, Service and Social Action,” she says. “Its goal is to uplift and support minority communities while taking a stance on issues that affect Black communities. This, in turn, affects people of all walks of life. The organization has over 1,000 chapters throughout the world.”

A volunteer for 27 years, she is a member of the Elk Grove Alumnae Chapter (Elk Grove, California) and currently the Chair of the Economic Development Committee. “The committee provides economic education to the community on various topics, such as home ownership and financial literacy and investment,” she explains. “We collaborate with local women’s and children’s shelters, as well as work to serve the local community through clothing, shoe and food drives designed to benefit people and children in need. This is a committee I hold near and dear to

my heart. It’s a favorite of mine, as it works directly with those in need, providing a safety net and access to stability and rehabilitation.”

More recently, Davis joined CSU Chico Young African American Ladies in Higher Educations. “I joined CSU Chico two years ago and currently serve as the primary advisor for the Pi Xi collegiate chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.” she says. “In this role, I assist the young ladies in remaining compliant and active with the organization’s mission to serve the local community and take an active stance in social action and

the policies and laws that affect the Black Community. I act as their counselor and confidante, helping ensure their academic success and graduation from college. Additionally, I share the necessary tools to help them transition from a collegiate student to a professional.

“I believe this is my most rewarding role! It has given me an opportunity to directly impact these young ladies’ lives by helping them develop lifelong skills, an appreciation of higher education, political awareness, an understanding of sisterhood and an appreciation of the importance of serving our communities. I find great joy in working with these young collegiates, as I know they will continue to be an asset to the organization and the communities we serve.” Indeed, she recently watched the collegiate members of her chapter be commemorated into the CSU Chico Museum as the longest standing Women’s Black Greek Letter Organization on campus.

Both in her role as a medical products sales rep and volunteering with communities in need and young college women, Davis continues to fine tune her ability to treat others with empathy, compassion and sincerity. And she never misses an opportunity to learn new ideas and grow. “I’ve learned to always be patient and professional – even during times of adversity and unreadiness,” she notes. “I’ve also learned to maintain my confidence and support continued growth and progress.”

These skills have helped her become a better colleague, friend and family member, she points out. “They have allowed me to remain passionate, loving and understanding, of both myself and those whose lives I impact. It’s an honor to be a support system for so many others.”

March 21–24, 2023

Hyatt Regency Coconut Point, Bonita Springs, Florida | HIDA.org/ExecCon

Navigate Inflationary Pressures, Staffing Shortages, And Revenue Shortfalls

Alan Beaulieu President, Institute for Trend Research

2023 Economic Outlook: Navigating

An Inflationary Economy

Beaulieu, whose company predicts economic trends with 94.7% accuracy at 12 months out, will share actionable ideas on thriving as the economy shifts.

Jeffrey Moser Principal, Sg2

Site-Of-Care Shifts: What To Expect And How To Prepare

The future of healthcare is outside the hospital. Learn the details of how and why in this session.

Larry Van Horn, PhD Associate Professor, Health Economics & Management; Exec. Director of Health Affairs Owen Graduate School of Management,

Vanderbilt

University

How Consumerism Is Changing The Game

In Healthcare

Explore the future of price transparency, new innovations in care delivery and how to respond.

Inbound Marketing Mindset

3 reasons healthcare inbound marketing is a must.

Inbound marketing can help generate qualified leads and drive quality traffic to your site. Here are three reasons you should adopt a healthcare inbound marketing mindset.

No. 1: Alleviate concerns and boost confidence

The world of medical distribution can be a highly complex industry. Between technical lab equipment, newly released and updated medications, and ever-evolving government regulations, medical and hospital purchasing often comes with lots of questions. Buyers want to be sure they’re making the best purchase for their company. Healthcare inbound marketing enables you to provide the content they need to build their confidence and influence their purchase decision.

Through audience surveys and research, you can learn what questions and concerns are affecting your target market. Use that information to create content that allays their worries. Publish expert articles, link to reputable resources, and deliver whitepapers and case studies that address specific concerns. Create videos to demonstrate equipment or further explain the features and benefits of the products you sell.

Healthcare can be complicated, but you can help your customer base navigate rough waters through custom inbound marketing.

No. 2: Target the right people

Buyers are out there right now, searching for the very solutions you

provide. Inbound marketing allows you to connect with those people. If you can reach those searchers, who are already in a buying mindset, and convince them that your offerings can solve their problems, you increase the likelihood of conversions and sales. Inbound marketing enables you to not only create powerful content but also optimize that material, so you have more opportunities to align with buyer searches. Through search engine optimization (SEO) like keyword placement, meta titles, and quality content that delivers value, you can earn higher search engine ranking placement. Since 75% of people don’t

scroll past the first page of Google’s search results, ranking among the top results can help boost visibility and maintain a front-of-mind presence among prospective buyers. Healthcare inbound marketing lets you take a more targeted approach to connecting with potential customers and, as a result, yields more effective results.

No. 3: Position yourself as an industry leader

Knowing what questions your target audience is asking helps you create content that addresses their unique needs. It also enables you to hone in on highly specific topics and conduct in-depth research (and possible case studies) to not only find the answer but to become an expert on that issue.

Delivering expert-level content that links to credible resources and includes factual, current data helps set you apart from your competitors. You’ll position yourself as an industry leader and gain credibility and trust among your readers and your industry peers.

All of this helps you attract a wider audience for a farther reach. You can get your readers to continue following you for more valuable information and recommend you to their own contacts who have similar questions and needs.

Share Moving Media is a content and media company that provides communication and educational resources to businesses in the healthcare industry. Visit www.sharemovingmedia.com for more information.

Celebrating Preparedness Wins on Capitol Hill

At the end of 2022, HIDA achieved multiple legislative wins to strengthen the medical supply chain. These provisions are a victory for patients and providers, and are the result of several years of advocacy by our association and our member companies.

In April 2020, Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Jackie Walorski (R-IN) introduced the Medical Supplies for Pandemics Act. This bipartisan legislation would create incentives to geographically diversify production of medical supplies and maintain domestic reserves of critical medical supplies like personal protective equipment and diagnostic tests. Over the next two years, the Medical Supplies for Pandemics Act was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on five separate occasions. Despite having bipartisan companion legislation – led by Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Michael Bennet (D-CO), it was never considered by the Senate.

However, HIDA and its members stayed engaged with Senate staff regarding the legislation and we were able to get these provisions included in broader preparedness legislation. HIDA worked with the Senate Health Education Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee and successfully included the Medical Supplies for Pandemics Act into the text of the PREVENT Pandemics Act. This text was approved by a HELP Committee markup of the legislation in March 2022.

Meanwhile, HIDA’s members in the laboratory services space were facing reimbursement cuts of up to 15% for many common laboratory diagnostic services, cuts which threatened to reduce patient access to diagnostics. Senators Richard Burr (R-NC) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced the Saving Access to Lab-

oratory Services Act (SALSA), which would restructure the data collection process and limit cuts to a reasonable and sustainable range.

By Linda Rouse O’Neill

HIDA launched a comprehensive advocacy campaign to enact the legislative priorities above into law.

ʯ In June 2022, leaders from across the healthcare distribution industry convened in Washington for HIDA’s first in-person Washington Summit in three years. In more than 115 meetings on Capitol Hill, healthcare distributors urged passage of the PREVENT Pandemics Act.

ʯ HIDA’s annual Streamlining Healthcare Expo & Business Exchange held in Chicago in September featured an online letter-writing campaign to Congress supporting passage of the PREVENT Pandemics Act.

ʯ HIDA educated Members of Congress on the benefits of laboratory services. Millions of Americans benefit from over 7 billion lab tests annually, and 70% of medical decisions are informed by the results.

ʯ In December, HIDA wrote to Congressional leadership and urged the inclusion of PREVENT Pandemics and SALSA in the year-end omnibus spending bill.

In late December 2022, Congress passed an omnibus spending bill to keep the federal government funded for another year. Foremost among HIDA’s priorities in the omnibus bill was the inclusion of the PREVENT Pandemics Act. The omnibus also included a revised phase-in of Medicare clinical laboratory test payment changes, which would postpone by one year cuts of up to 15% that are scheduled to go into effect for many common laboratory diagnostic services.

HIDA is pleased to promote supply chain priorities on Capitol Hill by proactively educating Members of Congress and their staff on the key issues impacting our industry and overall patient care.

Linda Rouse O’Neill, Vice President, Supply Chain Policy and Executive Branch Relations, Health Industry Distributors Association

Industry News

American PPE manufacturers launch new group

The American Medical Manufacturers Association (AMMA), a new group representing domestic personal protective equipment (PPE) manufacturers from across the country, launched recently. AMMA will work to highlight the critical need for the United States to have consistent access to quality and American-made PPE, especially in times of crisis.

“The COVID-19 pandemic exposed a giant hole in our U.S. supply chain and highlighted our country’s reliance on foreign manufactured medical supplies and equipment,” said Eric Axel, Executive Director of AMMA. “We must ensure that we are prepared as a country for future pandemics – and that starts with investing in U.S. PPE. This is the only way for the U.S. to bolster our public health, security, and competitiveness.”

AMMA’s initial members include Altor Safety, Aquaspersions USA, Blue Star NBR, Lutema, Ochsner Health, Premium-PPE, SafeSource Direct, United Safety Technology, and Vizient.

BD receives FDA EUA for COVID-19, influenza A/B, RSV combination test

BD announced that it has received Emergency Use Authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a new molecular diagnostic combination test for SARS-CoV-2, Influenza A + B and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) to help combat illness in the current and future respiratory virus seasons.

The test, for use on the BD MAX™ Molecular Diagnostic System, uses a single nasal swab or a single nasopharyngeal swab sample to identify and distinguish if a patient has COVID-19, the flu, RSV or some combination of the three, with results available in as little as two hours. The test helps eliminate the need for multiple tests or doctor visits and can help clinicians implement the right treatment plan quickly. The co-testing approach also helps to increase testing capacity during the busy flu/RSV season and speed time to diagnosis.

“While fears of a ‘tripledemic’ this respiratory season have largely diminished, accurately differentiating influenza and RSV from COVID-19 and providing appropriate treatment remains a challenge for our customers,” said Nikos Pavlidis, vice president of Molecular Diagnostics at BD. “This diagnostic test provides the ability to identify

multiple pathogens using a single sample and can quickly pinpoint the causative virus or viruses and enable clinicians to administer appropriate treatment early in the course of infection.”

The BD MAX™ System is already in use at thousands of hospitals and laboratories worldwide, and each unit is capable of analyzing hundreds of samples over a 24-hour period. The Respiratory Viral Panel for BD MAX™ System is an RT- PCR assay that detects and differentiates the nucleic acid of SARS-CoV-2, flu A, flu B and RSV in as little as two hours for the first result, with the simplified and automated workflow of the BD MAX™ System.

Henry Schein named to Fortune’s “World’s Most Admired Companies” list for 22nd consecutive year

Henry Schein announced that it has been named to the FORTUNE ® “World’s Most Admired Companies” list for 2023, the 22nd consecutive year that the Company has been so recognized. Henry Schein also ranked first in the Wholesalers: Health Care category for the fifth consecutive year.

“For more than 90 years, our concern for the success of our stakeholders – our customers, suppliers, Team Schein Members, investors, and society at large – has long been the foundation of our purpose-driven approach to business and continues to inform our efforts to create a healthier world,” said Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Henry Schein. “Despite the challenges we face as a society and industry, the dedication and determination of the approximately 22,000 Team Schein Members remains strong, and our values continue to be a key driver of the Company’s success. On behalf of Team Schein, we are honored to be included on FORTUNE’s list of the ‘World’s Most Admired Companies’.”

Sekisui Diagnostics ranks in top 100 most sustainable corporations

Sekisui has again been included in the 2023 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations In The World Index (2023 Global 100). This marks the sixth consecutive time and the eighth time overall that Sekisui has been part of this important ranking.

The index is published annually by the Canadian company Corporate Knights Inc. It ranks large companies from

all sectors worldwide, assessing sustainability performance from the perspective of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors. The 100 best performing companies make it onto the list each year. In 2023, Corporate Knights reviewed a total of approximately 6,700 companies.

In keeping with tradition, the index was published at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Sekisui was ranked 84th and was recognized for achievements in multiple evaluation criteria, including sustainable revenue (revenue from sale of products and services that contribute significantly to the environment or society.), sustainable investment (capital expenditure and R&D), and sustainability pay link.

Sekisui has actively worked to solve social issues such as climate change issues. In 2018, it became the first company in the chemical sector to obtain SBT certification. In 2022, a new target was set for the GHG emission reduction rate by 2030.

In its long-term vision, Vision 2030, Sekisui has identified “Innovation for the Earth” as vision statement –planning to make future on earth more livable and create peace of mind to promote a sustainable and innovative society. SEKISUI aims to continue to contribute to solving social problems to drive both the realization of a sustainable society and the growth of the company,” according to a release.

Cardinal Health teams up with Palantir to deliver a clinically integrated supply chain solution

Cardinal Health announced that it has entered into a strategic collaboration with Palantir Technologies, a leading builder of operating systems for the modern enterprise, to design a solution that will give health systems and hospitals dynamic purchase decision insights in order to quickly improve their bottom line.

The Cardinal Health solution, which will be integrated into Foundry, Palantir’s industry-leading operating system, will deploy artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to bring together diagnosis and clinical data with real-time customer purchasing and consumption data for pharmaceutical products with best-in-class data and privacy protections. Future iterations of the tool are expected to help inform purchasing decisions for therapeutic utilization, reimbursement insights and predictive drug inventory needs – to help further improve the connection between health system purchasing and supply chain support.

As hospitals balance increases in drug expenses due to the growth of specialty therapies and biosimilars, health systems are struggling to right-size pharmacy

inventory together with constantly evolving payer formulary updates. Cardinal Health’s data-driven solution will mitigate some of these challenges by analyzing real-time clinical and purchasing data to effectively create a clinically-integrated supply chain for pharmaceuticals.

A leader in the data and analytics industry, Palantir launched its Health & Life Sciences division in 2020. Since then, the company has continued to support federal, public and private organizations and is a proven leader in delivering mission-critical software across the public health supply chain.

CVS Health launches new virtual primary care offering, expands access to mental health support

CVS Health launched new virtual care offerings focused on primary care and mental health services. CVS Health® Virtual Primary Care™ is a new virtual care offering that provides primary care, 24/7 on-demand care1 and scheduled mental health services. If in-person follow-up care is needed, a patient can seek care at any in-network provider, including MinuteClinic®

This program is now available to Aetna® commercial members nationwide enrolled in eligible fully-insured and self-insured health plans. Members can schedule a primary care visit within days with a provider they select and access 24/7 quick care for common illnesses and infections. Through this launch, CVS is also expanding virtual mental health services. Members ages 18 and up enrolled in CVS Health Virtual Primary Care will now have access to virtual mental health support nationwide, seven days a week, from clinicians, including licensed therapists and psychiatrists.

CVS Health Virtual Primary Care has a dedicated practice of board-certified physicians and nurse practitioners who help deliver primary care services through physicianled care teams. These physician-led care teams can consult with CVS® pharmacists to better support patients. To deliver on-demand and mental health services, this dedicated practice is supplemented by MinuteClinic providers consisting of nurse practitioners and licensed clinical social workers (LCSW). In addition, members seeking mental health services will have the ability to consult with psychiatrists.

Members can easily access their health information, including lab results and medications, on the CVS Health DashboardOpens in a new window and they can share their clinical data with other clinicians. The dashboard will also enable the care team to have a comprehensive view of care activity across different sites of care.

Better BP® is Better Care

Midmark designed the only fully integrated point of care ecosystem to help promote a more consistently accurate blood pressure measurement by targeting 3 key areas

Proper Patient Positioning

Patient positioning during blood pressure (BP) capture can impact the accuracy of BP measurements. The American Medical Association (AMA) recommends the patient’s back be supported, feet fl at on the fl oor, legs uncrossed and arm supported at heart height. 1

Accurate, Consistent BP Capture

Automation at the point of care can help ensure a higher level of standardization, minimizing human variables while maximizing consistency and data accuracy.

EMR Connectivity

Seamless connectivity to the EMR saves time and reduces the likelihood of data transcription errors.

Learn

INVENT. CREATE. PROTECT.

revolutionized personal hand protection forever with the invention of the world’s first nitrile exam glove. Since that time, the integrated manufacturer has accomplished a “Legacy of Firsts” for health care providers:

SUPPLY CHAIN ASSURANCE. CHAIN OF CUSTODY. BORN AND BRED IN THE .

2022

 Stood up two more high speed monorail lines now with 800M glove capacity annually

1990

 Invented of the world’s first nitrile exam glove

 First 510(k) for the world’s first nitrile exam glove

 Patent for nitrile exam held for over a decade

 Research, development, and production of nitrile exam gloves in the USA since 1990

2012

 Invented ECO BEST TECHNOLOGY ®

 Launched the world’s first biodegradable nitrile exam glove

199020002010

1995

 Inventor of the world’s first nitrile accelerator-free exam glove (low dermatitis potential)

2004

 Inventor of the world’s black nitrile elocstratic discharge glove

 Additional 40,000 square foot expansion in 2022

2021

 Stood up two high speed monorail lines adding 400M glove capacity annually

 29 Chemotherapy Claims and Fentanyl Tested

2020

 510(k) for the Fayette, AL production facility

2020

2018

 Expanded Eco Best Technology ® in all exam gloves

2019

 40,000 square foot expansion in Fayette, AL

BE THE FIRST TO BRING YOUR CUSTOMER A USA MADE EXAM GLOVE FROM A TRUSTED MANUFACTURER SINCE 1970.