March 21, 2023 – 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.”
Read more in the latest issue of Repertoire Magazine.