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We have all learned a lot since spring 2020, and a recent Becker’s Hospital Review article asked healthcare leaders to weigh in on the supply chain and what they now realize. Here are some outtakes that I thought were worth sharing. (more…)

“I am delighted to join the MedSpeed leadership team at this important point in the company’s growth journey,” said Laackman. “The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting challenges the healthcare industry has faced during this past year have demonstrated the benefits of the agile approach MedSpeed deploys. Healthcare logistics should and must be a service that delivers strategic value.”

Laackman brings more than three decades of experience leading financial and information systems at large companies. Prior to MedSpeed, Laackman was Vice President of Global Finance at PureCircle. Her distinguished career includes executive roles at Sodexo, Shamrock Foods, The Kellogg Company and Kraft Foods. Laackman holds an MBA from Northwestern University and is a Certified Public Accountant. She received her Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Accounting from Northern Illinois University, and serves on the board of directors for AgriBank and the Chicago Zoological Society.

MedSpeed has deep ties to The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. The business got its start as the final project for a New Venture Strategy course with the original seed of the idea coming from Crampton’s close friend and classmate, Everett Truitt. They entered the idea into the Edward L. Kaplan, ’71, New Venture Challenge. MedSpeed won the competition and Crampton changed his post-graduation plans to launch the company.

Now a market-leading provider of same-day transportation services to the healthcare industry, MedSpeed has grown from a Chicago-based startup to a national enterprise with over 140 hub operations across 29 states. Its client base includes 25 of the top 100 health systems in the country.

“I am honored to receive this award from my alma mater,” said Crampton. “Ultimately, this award recognizes the incredible MedSpeed team and our commitment to the mission of delivering health to the communities we serve.”

Before MedSpeed, healthcare executives rarely accounted for transportation operations when considering the major drivers of optimum performance. By transforming logistics from a cost center into a strategic asset, MedSpeed provides significant value by enabling better, more integrated care delivery.

Prior to launching MedSpeed, Crampton founded and nurtured a successful language-training business in Mexico City and credits that experience, his Chicago Booth education, and his continued engagement with the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation with providing a strong foundation for MedSpeed’s development.

KOVAL began production with 150 gallons of hand sanitizer on March 23, 2020 and expects to produce hundreds, or even thousands, of gallons over the next few weeks. MedSpeed will begin delivery to a designated list of healthcare facilities in need on March 27, 2020.

“The demand for alcohol-based sanitizers is great, and our communities are experiencing extreme shortages,” said Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart, Co-Founder and President, KOVAL Distillery. “Our goal is to provide this vital product free of charge to as many organizations in need as we possibly can. We are grateful to everyone who has come together to donate on our GoFundMe page to help us and to MedSpeed for helping out as well.”

“MedSpeed’s mission is to deliver health to the communities we serve,” said Bonni Kaplan DeWoskin, Vice President, Marketing and Strategic Partnerships, MedSpeed. “While we are laser-focused on keeping our MedSpeeders safe and protected and serving our healthcare customers during this challenging time, we are thrilled to be able to partner with KOVAL to get this much needed product out to healthcare organizations in need.”

KOVAL has noted that the company will not have hand sanitizer available for the general public at this time.

About KOVAL

KOVAL Distillery is known for creating a line of organic & kosher certified whiskey, gin, and specialty spirits using unique grains, a signature “heart cut” technique, and only the absolute best quality ingredients. As one of the largest independent and woman-owned craft distilleries in the US, KOVAL is frequently awarded internationally for its bright flavors and eye for design. As of March 2020, KOVAL has shifted 100% of its operations to help provide alcohol-based sanitizer to those on the front lines in the fight against COVID-19. For more information about KOVAL’s hand sanitizer production or to donate to help KOVAL continue to be able to offer hand sanitizer to health systems in need for free, visit bit.ly/kovalsanitizer. Please send requests for hand sanitizer to [email protected].

“The Coronavirus has been devastating to many,” said Angie Gray, MedSpeed’s chief human resources officer. “As many businesses in the service or hospitality industries have been forced to reduce operating hours or close altogether, the immediate impact has been on people’s ability to support themselves and their loved ones. MedSpeed has job opportunities for displaced workers to earn income and make a difference amid the COVID-19 crisis.”

MedSpeed offers competitive wages and benefits including medical, dental, vision, 401(k), life, and paid time off. Depending on the market, the company is hiring for 1st, 2nd and 3rd shifts, both full- and part-time. All applicants must be 21 or older and have a valid driver’s license and clean driving record. The job requires frequent standing and the ability to lift and maneuver a minimum of 50 pounds.

“In light of COVID-19, MedSpeed has instituted even more stringent safety protocols,” Gray noted. “We have been continuously monitoring and updating these procedures as necessary and will continue to do so for the safety of all MedSpeeders and their families and the employees of our healthcare partners.”

To learn more about immediate opportunities, MedSpeed invites you to apply by clicking this link MedSpeed or visiting the Careers page on http://www.MedSpeed.com.

“Jim is an accomplished IT executive, with a wealth of experience in healthcare IT and is a great addition to our executive team,” said Rich D’Amico, president of MedSpeed. “MedSpeed continues to invest in technology that enables us to deliver innovative logistics solutions. That IT investment empowers our healthcare clients to standardize and centralize operations and use logistics as an asset to drive efficiency and improve patient care.”

Van Duyn has more than 25 years of strategic-level project/business management and hands-on application development. Prior to joining MedSpeed, he served as senior vice president of Evolent Health. He holds an MBA from the Keller School of Management and a BA from Calvin College in Business Administration.

“One of the greatest things about being part of MedSpeed is seeing, first-hand, the team’s deep commitment to the mission of delivering health,” said Van Duyn. “MedSpeed is clearly leading the market in the way we support our customers and their patients. I am excited about my new role where I have the opportunity to help build and develop our next technology generation to better create value for our customers.”

“This new level of service will standardize transportation operations and provide intra-company logistics process improvement opportunities for SLHS, while enabling our employees to be exceptional in their roles and take care of our patients at the highest level possible,” said Paul Lambert, system director of supply chain operations.

“MedSpeed is excited to begin providing intra-company logistics support to SLHS and helping them continue to support their mission to improve the health of individuals in Boise,” said Jake Crampton, CEO of MedSpeed. “With a strategic, technology-enhanced transportation network in place, SLHS can be more efficient and effective as the organization grows and migrates its focus from treating sickness to promoting wellness.”

St. Luke’s goal is to partner with a single company that leverages state-of-the-art technology for chain of custody tracking and quality metrics for reporting, Lambert said. “MedSpeed is perfectly aligned with us,” he said.

About St. Luke’s Health System

St. Luke’s is the only locally governed, Idaho-based, not-for-profit health system, with a network of seven full-service medical centers and more than 200 outpatient centers and clinics serving people throughout southern Idaho, eastern Oregon, and northern Nevada. Our mission is to improve the health of the people in our regions by providing access to a full range of effective and efficient health care and related services. St. Luke’s also is the recipient of national recognition that signifies the highest levels of patient care and safety for healthcare consumers. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ hospital quality star ratings, designed to help patients navigate the complicated terrain of care quality, show that St. Luke’s Boise and St. Luke’s Meridian are the top hospitals in Idaho and the only Idaho hospitals to receive the full five stars.