October 17, 2016 Print press release (pdf)
Top Three Insights From HIDA’s 2016 Streamlining Healthcare Conference
HIDA CEO Matthew J. Rowan talks with industry leaders (L-R) Cody Phipps, CEO of Owens & Minor; Brad Connett, President of Henry Schein's Commercial Group US Medical; Todd Ross, CEO of Preferred Medical; and Roger Benz, CEO of Concordance Healthcare Solutions. (Also participating were Stanton McComb, President of McKesson Medical-Surgical and Cindy Juhas, Co-owner of CME.)
Alexandria, Va. – Distributors serve a crucial role in reducing supply chain complexity for their trading partners and customers. This theme was the central focus throughout HIDA’s 2016 Streamlining Healthcare Conference, where more than 1,000 distributor, manufacturer, and group purchasing executives came together to discuss solutions for improving healthcare efficiency. If you missed the event, here are some takeaways from the week’s proceedings:
- The healthcare supply chain is too complicated. During the conference’s opening general session, leading distribution executives said their provider customers want to reduce costs, waste, and complexity. Suppliers can help make this happen, they said, by partnering with customers to leverage data, improve technology, and reduce the total cost of care. “Distributors need to lead disruptive change in our industry,” said panelist Brad Connett, Henry Schein. “We can be the indispensable partner to our customers by helping them attack complexity,” added Cody Phipps, Owens & Minor.
- It’s all about quality. Healthcare providers across the care continuum are adapting to new payment models that reward quality and outcomes. HIDA Vice President of Government Affairs Linda Rouse O’Neill encouraged participants to understand the specific quality metrics on which their customers are being rated, and to highlight products and solutions that contribute to quality improvements. Gina Smith, Director of Business Development, noted that patient satisfaction is a key metric for most providers, and previewed HIDA’s new Patient Satisfaction Horizon Report. This landmark survey of more than 1,000 patients quantified the impact medical products can have on patient satisfaction.
- Channel partnerships are more important than ever. HIDA 2016 Chairman Todd Ross kicked off the conference noting, “If you need to get some business done, you are in the right place.” In two and a half days, more than 2,500 meetings took place within HIDA’s Gold Key Club, private suites meetings, and the popular Executive Business Exchange. “If you take away one thing from this event, remember that HIDA will never stop growing the positive impact it has on our members and the industry,” said HIDA President & CEO Matthew J. Rowan.
The meeting opportunities were expanded this year with 18 GPOs participating in the conference’s Reverse Expo. These organizations were also active participants during HIDA’s Contract Administration Workgroup meeting, offering unique perspectives on ways to improve pricing accuracy and advance HIDA’s contract communication standards.
HIDA’s next Streamlining Healthcare Conference takes place in Chicago, Ill., September 26 – 28, 2017.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jeff Girardi, 703-838-6110
girardi@hida.org
About HIDA
The Health Industry Distributors Association (HIDA) is the premier trade association representing medical products distribution. HIDA members primarily serve the nation’s hospital, long term care, and physician/alternate care markets. For more information, visit www.HIDA.org.
About the HIDA Educational Foundation
The HIDA Educational Foundation (HEF) is a non-profit organization affiliated with the Health Industry Distributors Association. The Foundation’s mission is to build a more effective and efficient healthcare supply channel through networking, business intelligence, and education.