Looking for new technology
Are you taking steps to attract and hire outstanding young people? How do you keep them engaged in the business? How can you prepare millennials to be tomorrow’s leaders? Tom DeCarlo, PhD, a professor of industrial distribution at the University of Alabama Birmingham, and developer of a medical sales training curriculum at the school, spoke to these points at this summer’s IMDA/HIRA Annual Conference in Chicago.
IMDA is the Independent Medical Specialty Dealers Association, and HIRA is the Health Industry Representatives Association.
IMDA President Don Sizemore (left) of D&D Medical receives IMDA’s highest award, the Ernie Douglass Award, from IMDA Chairman Duke Johns
Millennials value team cohesion, support from their supervisors, and flexibility, said DeCarlo. It’s true that, like everyone else, they value money. But what really drives them is building a sense of autonomy and mastery, and knowing they are making a contribution. “Having a purpose makes coming to work better, and it’s a way to attract talent,” said DeCarlo.
The conference was the first time IMDA and HIRA held their annual conferences together. At the event, they sponsored a joint Manufacturers Forum, offering distributors and reps an opportunity to view new medical technologies and strike up business relationships.
Other speakers at the Conference were:
- Denise Odenkirk, assistant vice president, supplier sales, GHX, speaking about supply chain automation.
- Josh Babb, director of government affairs, Health Industry Distributors Association, talking about the implications of the Trump presidency on U.S. healthcare.
- Stephen Permut, M.D., JD, board of trustees, American Medical Association, speaking about technology in medicine, including telemedicine, precision medicine, pharmacogenomics and mobile health applications.
- Kathleen Heneghan, PhD, MSN, RN, PN-C, assistant director, patient education, American College of Surgeons, who introduced IMDA and HIRA members to various ACS information sources on medical devices and surgical outcomes.
- Scott Becker, healthcare partner at McGuireWoods LLP, and publisher, Becker’s Healthcare, speaking about ambulatory surgery trends.
- Jack Langenberg, vice president, sourcing operations, Vizient, who spoke about the GPO’s performance improvement platforms.
- Stephen D. Terman, principal attorney, OFW Law, speaking about priorities and trends within the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
As he has at past IMDA conferences, IMDA President Don Sizemore, of D&D Medical Inc., introduced the distributors and reps to several new personal-technology tools, including noise-cancelling headphones, mini-projectors and external chargers.
At the conference, Sizemore was presented the Ernie Douglass Award. Named after one of IMDA’s founders, the award recognizes a person in the healthcare industry who exhibits support and encouragement of associates, a willingness to share his or her business and distribution knowledge, and professional salesmanship and ethics in business.