The Driving Results Blog is a space for MedSpeed’s CEO, Jake Crampton, to share insights about a variety of healthcare topics. Occasionally, other members of the MedSpeed leadership team will use this space to discuss matters of particular importance to them.
Today, on the day before Thanksgiving, I can’t help but be a bit reflective. This is true every year, but especially so this one. We all (not to mention our families, organizations, communities, etc.) have been challenged like never before. That also makes it a year where those things for which we are grateful are especially pronounced.
At MedSpeed, we take our role in healthcare seriously. We understand each item must be delivered to the right place at the right time for providers to care for patients. This point has never been clearer to me than in 2020. Supporting our customers as they implement massive testing strategies, distribute PPE and reallocate equipment and pharmaceuticals has challenged MedSpeeders to assure the very highest levels of performance.
This week, October 4-10, is designated by AHRMM as National Health Care Supply Chain Week. It is so designated, among other reasons, to allow for recognition and appreciation of the healthcare supply chain professionals who, in their work, enable healthcare to carry out its vital mission. The purpose of today’s blog, first and foremost, is for MedSpeed to join in that chorus of appreciation. Thank you supply chain professionals for all you do!
Over the past few weeks, I’ve shared stories about healthcare leaders who have met the challenges of COVID-19 head-on with resourcefulness. The final story comes from our customer in Washington, MultiCare Health System, which was recently featured in Healthcare Purchasing News.
One of the interesting things about our vantage point in this industry, at this time, is the wealth of inspirational stories we are seeing every day. One such story comes from Advocate Aurora Health in Milwaukee, which was featured in a recent Healthcare Purchasing News article.
During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Advocate Aurora’s distribution center quickly reached capacity. The Advocate Aurora team supply chain team needed to set up a warehouse to provide PPE in support of their clinicians and patients – and fast.
Healthcare leaders across the country have been tackling the challenges of this pandemic with ingenuity. I am inspired by their dedication and perseverance and will be sharing stories on this blog over the next several weeks in order to recognize and amplify their efforts.
Healthcare Purchasing News recently highlighted the Mayo Clinic in its article about COVID-19 changemakers. In late March, as COVID-19 was putting massive demand on Mayo Clinic’s supply of face shields, Mayo formed a partnership with Pepin Manufacturing to produce the much-needed personal protective equipment. But there was a catch, in order to produce the 300,000 face shields, workers would be needed to supplement Pepin Manufacturing’s production crews.
I am pleased to share that MedSpeed has made it onto the 2020 Inc. 5000 list. This designates us as one of the fastest growing private companies in the U.S. (or, in any case, one of the fastest that applied to Inc…). We have now earned this distinction four times, something which is and has been a reflection on two key groups.
There is no overstating the challenges and hardships that our industry and our country at large have endured during this pandemic. Healthcare leaders have taken extraordinary measures to meet these obstacles head on, which has created an environment of accelerated innovation. Impressive strides have been made to deliver care more efficiently, with the same degree of effectiveness.
Additionally, I’m struck by the number of healthcare entities that have rapidly scaled new programs to address the broader needs of their communities. It’s this idea that has been talked about for years of “health care” instead of “sick care”.
The healthcare supply chain. MedSpeed has been a player in this space now for two decades and never has this topic been more on the minds of healthcare leaders, not to mention the citizenry at large, than today amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
Unfortunately, at the pandemic’s outset, this was largely a story of shortages. Over time, however, this narrative has evolved more and more around examples of ingenuity and creativity in building new supply chain pathways to support the fight against this insidious threat.
We are now well into our fourth calendar month since the COVID-19 pandemic fully arrived in the United States. On the one hand, we have worked to adapt to a new normal. But, more so, we are weary of pandemic life and all that it has wrought. Making all this more difficult is the uncertainty of what lies ahead.
Despite this challenge, it is incumbent upon healthcare leaders, and other key policy makers, to look forward. This will help us take the steps back towards our old lives – albeit with certain likely permanent differences – but also prepare for the many potential eventualities that we may confront.