Nearly 30 percent more distributor companies attended HIDA’s 2014 Streamlining Healthcare Conference this fall compared to the 2013 event. The annual conference, held in Chicago, attracted more than 1,000 registrants; distributor attendees represented more than 115 organizations.
More than 100 affiliate meeting rooms were reserved for private meetings, and more than 41 distributor companies participated in the conference’s first-ever Distributor Expo, which featured a reverse-expo format. HIDA also debuted several other new conference features, including concurrent “market outlook” sessions for the IDN, acute care, physician and post-acute-care markets. The event also featured educational summits in patient experience and value analysis in infection control.
At a half-day session on “Best practices in contract timing and communications” HIDA presented new industry recommendations for reducing contracting inefficiencies and improving pricing accuracy. Topics included:
- Best practices for contract communications and contract notification timeliness.
- Approaches for reducing price mismatches and eliminating rework.
- Strategies and tools for getting company support for the changes necessary to achieve these improvements.
In 2015, HIDA will develop and launch Innovation Pavilions to deliver new product solutions and education to conference attendees surrounding three supply chain issues and markets: skin and wound care, infection control, and home healthcare.
Brad Connett receives award
At the conference, Brad Connett, vice president and general manager, medical sales, Henry Schein, received the 2014 John F. Sasen Leadership Award. The award recognizes exceptional individuals who demonstrate leadership qualities, commitment, and service to the healthcare products distribution industry.
Connett has been a member of HIDA’s board of directors since 2005 and served as chairman in 2011. He was instrumental in forming HIDA’s Leadership Development Group, which brings together future healthcare industry leaders from both manufacturer and distributor companies to exchange ideas, network and support industry initiatives.
“Brad is universally respected in the industry,” said HIDA President & CEO Matthew J. Rowan. “HIDA is proud to recognize his enormous industry contributions with this award.”
“Brad truly embodies the strategic focus and passion needed to advance the healthcare distribution industry,” added HIDA Board Chairman Dave Myers. “His leadership within his company, HIDA, and the industry makes him an ideal recipient for this award. He is a great example of the many qualities John Sasen brought to all of us.”
John Sasen was executive vice president and chief marketing officer of PSS World Medical (now McKesson Medical-Surgical) when he died at age 70 in February 2013. His career in healthcare spanned more than 40 years, beginning with Clay Adams, a division of BD, for whom he eventually became vice president of sales, marketing and distributor relations. He joined PSS founder Pat Kelly at PSS in 1989. He was inducted into the Medical Distribution Hall of Fame in 2009.
The next Streamlining Healthcare Conference will take place in Dallas, Texas, Sept. 9 – 11, 2015.