Distribution has to be part of the solution, says 2018 HIDA Chair Chris Kerski Editor’s note: Chris Kerski, senior vice president of Laboratory Products at Cardinal Health, brings a rich variety of experiences to his role as 2018 HIDA chair. He recently shared some of those experiences, as well as his observations about distribution’s role in today’s healthcare system, with … [Read more...]
Length of Stay
States finding out that the shorter the nursing-home stay following hospitalization, the better for the patient Policymakers are not only interested in reducing length of stay in hospitals but also nursing homes. An October 2017 report from the AARP Public Policy Institute explains why and how several states are working to reduce the percentage of older adults who receive … [Read more...]
Marv Stevens: The man to see
Want to know how to sell? It’s easy: Be honest Be prepared Practice your presentation skills Strive for clarity in your speaking Throw in a little showmanship Make the customer feel good about the selling experience Make that customer your friend Well, maybe not so easy after all. But that’s how manufacturers rep Marvin Stevens did it, says his son … [Read more...]
Marvin Caligor: School was always in session
If you worked for Marvin Caligor, every day was a business lesson. And it was a lesson you weren’t likely to forget. “Marvin’s greatest strength was knowing how to deal with people properly,” says Sam Zambardino, account manager for Henry Schein Medical, who went to work for Caligor in 1980. “I mimic and copy him to this day.” Caligor – who took over the drugstore and … [Read more...]
People Before Problems
By Lisa Earle McLeod How to encourage through difficult situations Imagine your spouse calls you to say, “I lost my job.” What are the first words out of your mouth? Do you blurt out, “Oh god, what are we going to do for money?” Or do you pause, and think about how your spouse feels in this moment? If you’re like most people, a spouse losing their job is panic … [Read more...]
Right Image, Right Time
Health focus: Imaging Resource for doctors facilitates high-value imaging Imaging is life-saving. But too much imaging leads to unnecessary costs, not to mention the risk to patients of needless exposure to radiation. Radiologists understand this. The American College of Radiology has been working to help its members, referring physicians and the public differentiate … [Read more...]
Rep Corner: Kim Soler
Ultimate Insider Kim Soler is smart on the phone As a student at Kean University in Union, New Jersey, Kimberly Soler had a goal – to be a journalist and start a magazine, perhaps one focused on urban hip-hop. Public relations was another option. Either way, she wanted a future in communications. As it turns out, she eventually got it, though not in the way she had … [Read more...]
The Medical/Dental Clinic
As the two disciplines draw closer together, is the medical/dental clinic far behind? Mason visits the Kaiser Permanente Northwest Cedar Hills Dental and Medical Office in Portland, Oregon, for a routine exam. Checking his medical records, his pediatric dentist sees that he is due for some vaccinations. An onsite licensed practical nurse administers the vaccinations then and … [Read more...]
Caught in the A1c Crossfire
Few medical practitioners would dispute the importance of HbA1c tests for people with type 2 diabetes. But physician groups sparred publicly this spring over how doctors should respond to HbA1c test results. One group – the American College of Physicians – came out in favor of relaxing blood sugar targets; others, led by the American Diabetes Association, loudly and publicly … [Read more...]
Cracking the Code
Post Acute Bundled-payment programs are alive and well. The proof is a brand new program – Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Advanced – which was introduced in January by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Repertoire readers may recall that neither former HHS Secretary Tom Price or Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma … [Read more...]