Agenda

Why are you involved in MDSCC and what value do you get from your participation?

I am involved with MDSCC because it has been and continues to be a great venue to learn about trends, best practices and for my company, Terso Solutions, the needs that medical device manufacturers, distributors and healthcare providers have concerning inventory management.  These insights provide great value to our industry knowledge and product & technology roadmaps.   Above all, I believe business and, life really, is about personal relationships and through MDSCC I have increased my professional network meeting many individuals I consider great friends.

What are some of the topics MDSCC explores that helps you?

The digitization of the healthcare supply chain is of great interest to me because I believe integrated data will be the key to true transformation in this space.  I also enjoy learning how med tech companies and healthcare providers are working more closely than ever to find ways to collaborate. 

What value does MDSCC bring to Supply Chain Leaders from device manufacturers?

More recently, MDSCC is bringing some of the leading healthcare providers to the table to share what they see are opportunities to collaborate which I believe is valuable to device manufactures.  It is interesting that many of these providers would rather talk to supply chain leaders from the device manufacturers than traditional sales representatives.  To me this demonstrates that the MDSCC group is more important than ever during these challenging times for all stakeholders.

Do you find the networking at the two annual meeting valuable?

The networking opportunities are great in many cases not discussing business but getting to know the attendees on a more personal level.  Because the group is relatively small it is a more comfortable opportunity to get to know the attendees.

Who all should get involved with MDSCC?

I think anyone who is involved in the healthcare supply chain and wants to increase their knowledge of the key opportunities, challenges and best practices in this space along with having an enjoyable experience should consider coming to at least one meeting to check it out first hand.

How has the MDSCC been valuable to you over the years? 

Throughout my career, I’ve recognized the immense value of collaboration and networking within the healthcare supply chain community. Organizations like MDSCC have played a pivotal role in bringing together senior leaders across various sectors of the industry. These organizations have not only facilitated networking but have provided a forum where meaningful relationships can develop. Time and again, I’ve found myself drawing upon these connections to tackle challenges and solve problems in service to our patients.  

Another valuable aspect that stands out is the importance of gaining diverse perspectives, especially when addressing complex issues. By inviting input from suppliers, distributors, GPOs, and health systems, we can obtain invaluable “outside in” viewpoints. For instance, when grappling with challenges such as consignment, the collaboration of many perspectives facilitated sustainable solutions that benefited all stakeholders involved. 

The collaborative environment fostered by MDSCC has not only enhanced professional relationships but has also served as a catalyst for driving positive change within the healthcare supply chain community. By leveraging these organizations, we can collectively address challenges and drive meaningful advancements in patient care delivery.  

Why do you prefer to meet with Operations in addition to National Accounts? 

Engaging in operations-to-operations conversations has been instrumental in addressing certain challenges within the healthcare industry. By delving into operational practices on both sides, we can swiftly identify potential root causes and devise cooperative solutions.  

Recently, I encountered a situation where a health system was grappling with how to manage a custom catheter that was cumbersome to manufacture and stock, highly expensive, and hard to forecast. Through our discussions, they were able to eliminate the custom product, driving reduced costs and increased resiliency. 

How can people in operations make the most of their meetings with you? 

Look for commonalities and shared pain points. By pinpointing areas, such as data management or process inefficiencies where challenges are prevalent across the industry, we can develop targeted strategies for improvement. Whether it’s addressing rush freight through par level adjustments, tackling consignment issues with inventory buys, or managing SKU proliferation through rationalization, there are various approaches to enhance efficiency. However, it’s critical for stakeholders to highlight these challenges, so we can tailor our efforts effectively. 

I’ve also learned the value of sharing priorities and strategic vision. When we openly talk about our priorities, we can identify where we overlap and find collaborative ways to achieve those goals together. Through aligning strategically and leveraging commonalities, we can forge stronger partnerships and drive meaningful improvements across the industry. 

What kinds of challenges are providers facing that manufacturers could benefit by knowing? 

In today’s healthcare landscape, several key challenges are driving the need for innovative solutions: 

• Cost Pressures: Cost reduction efforts are more critical than ever, with heightened savings targets across the board. Identifying savings opportunities remains a top priority as organizations look for ways to optimize operations while delivering quality care. 
• Shortages: Backorders continue to plague the industry, with hundreds occurring daily, resulting in significant expenditure.  
• Staffing Challenges: While staffing levels have improved, securing skilled labor, especially in areas like Food Services and Sterile Processing, remains a persistent challenge.  
• Technology Integration: Leveraging technology to optimize teams is a priority, but staying ahead of the curve poses its own set of challenges. The rapid pace of advancements, particularly in AI, requires a careful balance between addressing immediate needs while fostering innovation. 
• Third-Party Risk: The number one risk to healthcare enterprises today is the risk posed by third-party partners. This risk spans cyber, supply chain, legal, and financial domains. With a vast network of over 35,000 vendors, managing and prioritizing risk mitigation efforts is crucial to protecting an organization’s integrity and patient data. 

New advancements in the AiBLE ecosystem build upon the company’s commitment to procedural innovation and execution, and include the following:

• New implant innovation with ModuLeX Spinal System, which offers increased visualization of the surgical area while allowing the operative flexibility to create an optimized construct for the patient. ModuLeX is the next generation of the Medtronic CD Horizon product family, a 40-year leader in spinal fixation.
• O-arm 4.3 software, which introduces advanced navigation volumes, dose reduction, and enhanced image confirmation. With this release, Medtronic now offers the industry’s longest 3D scan length for cone-beam CT images, which allows surgeons to capture additional spine levels in one scan and streamline their workflow. O-arm is the first and only intraoperative imager that uses AI, with 70% less radiation dose compared to the standard protocol, while maintaining image quality¹. Medtronic Implant Resolution (MIR) further enhances decision-making by reducing metal artifacts around select screws, enabling confident final screw placement.
• UNiD Adaptive Spine Intelligence (ASI), a Medtronic integrated service and software platform that leverages AI and predictive models to help surgeons deliver patient-specific surgical plans and implants, now includes MRI Vision, which integrates with CoLumbo from Smart Soft Healthcare into the UNiD workflow. This new tool employs computer vision technology to automatically analyze lumbar MRIs to segment, label, and measure key aspects related to common pathologies. MRI Vision will allow spine surgeons using UNiD ASI to access automated PDF reports and annotated DICOMs (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) in the UNiD Hub to identify and quantitatively measure areas of interest such as muscle area with fat infiltration, key spinal alignment angles, key characteristic related to stenosis, and more. UNiD is powered by more than 28,000 patient procedures and continues to grow in adoption worldwide.
• Mazor robotic guidance system with 5.1 software is the first and only spinal robotic system that integrates AI, bone cutting, and graft delivery. Mazor enables comprehensive preoperative and intraoperative planning that goes beyond screw placement to include complete construct design with screws, rods, interbodies, and bone removal. The newest version of 5.1 software introduces Maximum Intensity Projection (MIP), which supports improved image quality.

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The prospective, multicenter, multi-national, single-arm trial evaluates the AlphaVac F18 multipurpose mechanical aspiration system. It looks at the efficacy, safety and long-term functional outcomes of using it to perform percutaneous mechanical aspiration thrombectomy.

RECOVER-AV aims to evaluate the system in acute, intermediate-risk PE to support its adoption in the European market. AlphaVac F18 received CE mark approval in May of this year, just over a month after it picked up FDA approval.

The trial follows an FDA investigational device exemption study that enrolled 122 patients across 25 U.S. sites. RECOVER-AV will take place across 20 sites in Europe with a primary efficacy endpoint of reducing right ventricular/left ventricular (RV/LV) ratio from baseline to 48 hours post-procedure. Its safety endpoint focuses on the incidence of Major Adverse Events (MAEs). Those include device-related death or major bleeding within seven days.

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Abbott’s consumer biowearable, Lingo, is available for consumers 18 years and older not on insulin. Lingo tracks glucose in real-time and provides personal insights and coaching to help people build healthy habits, retrain their metabolism and improve their overall well-being.

Key features of the Lingo experience:

• Glucose graph: A graph of glucose reactions updates in real time based on continuous readings from the Lingo biosensor.    
• Lingo Count: The body’s glucose spikes are translated into one, easy-to-understand metric.
• Food and Activity Logging: Log meals and exercise for deeper insights. Sync Lingo with the Apple® Health app to log workouts automatically. 
• Personal Insights: Tailored recommendations are based on foods logged, time of day and accrued Lingo Count.  
• Lingo Challenges: Create new habits and earn badges as challenges are completed and new healthy habits are built. 

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Cleveland Clinic will use drone company Zipline’s Platform 2 system, which can execute precise deliveries to dense urban areas and completes a 10-mile delivery in about 10 minutes. Docking/charging stations and loading portals for the drones will be added at several of Cleveland Clinic’s Northeast Ohio facilities.

While the service will initially be used to transport specialty medicine and other prescritions, the program will eventually expand to include delivery of lab samples, prescription meals, medical and surgical supplies, and items for hospital at home services.

Watch the video below to see how the Zipline drones operate.

Studies show that the prevalence of incontinence among nursing home residents is as high as 83.7%. Adult briefs are an important part of managing incontinence management, but are often used incorrectly due to a lack of understanding of regular urinary patterns among residents. Depending on a caregiver’s availability, residents may spend hours in a wet brief, increasing the risk of developing dermatitis or incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD).

The Wi-Fi enabled FitRight CONNECT Wetness Sensing System provides real-time data on residents’ voiding patterns, including the time each wetness event occurred, the amount of time residents spent in each brief, and the amount of time before a clean brief was applied. This data helps our customers identify the real change rate per resident, potential toileting times, caregiver workflow patterns, and the need for changes in residents’ plan of care. Utilizing the dashboard data has proven to be instrumental in conversing with family members about the incontinence care provided for their loved ones.

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Everything – from a light, in an operating room; a partition curtain or chair in a patient room; a clipboard, exam glove or an endoscope can be invisibly hazardous and pose a potential threat.

Is it clean? Be sure in just 15 seconds an essential step to improving your HAI prevention and safety protocol. The SafeStep ATP Monitor verifies the cleanliness of surfaces, endoscopes and cannulated instruments in just 15 seconds. By detecting ATP (adenosine triphosphate) – the energy molecule found in all humans, animals, plants, bacteria, yeast, and mold cells. SafeStep gives you the testing power to minimize HAIs and improve patient and staff safety!

For more information go to www.hmark.com or call the company at 1-800-521-6224.

The contract includes implantable vascular medical devices, such as the Zilver® PTX® Drug-Eluting Peripheral Stent, Zenith® aortic endografts, and associated interventional devices to treat patients with vascular disease. The contract will streamline the process for the Department of Defense to obtain these products so they can more quickly treat military service members. The contract is for one year with four one-year extension options. 

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