Successful sales reps consider their job to be one of service. Successful companies share the sentiment.
Some healthcare distributors and manufacturers believe in extending their mission of service even beyond their own reps and customers. By championing a charity, foundation or a community non-profit, they try to imbue the spirit of service among the entire company as well as those who come into contact with its people. For example:
- Henry Schein Medical and Henry Schein Cares Foundation partner with Children’s Health Fund as part of the company’s ongoing commitment to “helping health happen” and enhancing access to care for those most in need, according to Jennifer Kim Field, vice president, global social responsibility, Henry Schein Cares; and Cathy Gray, market development manager, Henry Schein Medical.
- Manufacturers and distributors in the industry can partner together to support charitable organizations that focus on shared interests, says Natalie Martin, director of creative services. “For NDC, the impact has been realized both by bettering local communities, as well as strengthening relationships with business partners beyond the office.”
- “As children move through the foster system, they’re usually given trash bags to carry what few belongings they have,” says Caitlin Jasper Jelks, manager, creative services, Concordance Health Solutions, about that company’s involvement with Together We Rise. “Concordance wanted to try to make a difference.”
- “Hunger and poverty are everywhere,” says Ashleigh McLaughlin, CFO, IMCO Inc. “It’s surreal to think that even in our local middle-class communities, the child sitting next to my daughter in class might be going to bed hungry.” IMCO is a supporter of the Provision Pack Program.
Surgical care globally
The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery estimates that 5 billion people lack access to safe, affordable and timely surgical care, says Francesca Olivier, senior director of innovation and social responsibility, Medline Industries. “Medline helps remove barriers that prevent patients from receiving the care that every human being deserves by partnering with clinicians to deliver care, delivering education and training, and helping health facilities run more efficiently.”
Medline is a supporter of One World Surgery (www.oneworldsurgery.org), whose mission is to ignite the spirit of service and transform lives by providing access to high-quality surgical care globally.
“Through our work with One World Surgery, we bring the best of Medline’s resources and expertise in the areas of supply chain optimization and OR efficiency,” says Olivier. “This collaboration has already been able to reduce room turnover time, increase space utilization and create efficiencies in forecasting and inventory management. Ultimately, this leads to more patients served.”
Others in the industry can promote global surgical care, she adds, by:
- Donating medical supplies to organizations that support healthcare facilities overseas.
- Formalizing support for medical service trips to low-income countries.
- Supporting physicians and surgical teams in One World Surgery.
- Working with Medline to elevate the capacity of health systems in low resource countries.
Food insecurity in Florida
IMCO is a supporter of Provision Packs (www.provisionpacks.org), an organization that provides nutritional assistance to low-income families, some of whom live in poverty, others who are homeless, says McLaughlin. The organization provides well-balanced, nutritional food for children on the weekend and on extended breaks during the school year.
“Provision Packs was founded five years ago by my dear friend, Carrie Torres,” explains McLaughlin. “She was volunteering in her daughter’s class one Friday morning at the elementary school that our children attend. On this particular morning, they were making pancakes. The teacher pointed out several kids, and said that if they ask for seconds, we should give them as many as they want. [My friend asked] ‘Why?’ and she was told “Because it might be their last meal until Monday.’ She was stunned. We were all stunned.
“Hunger and poverty are everywhere. It’s surreal to think that even in our local middle class communities, the child sitting next to my daughter in class might be going to bed hungry.” More than 26 percent of children in Florida face food insecurity, she adds.
Two years ago, IMCO stopped giving welcome gifts to attendees at its annual convention, directing that money instead to charity. In 2018 this morphed into the IMCO Pentathlon, where teams of members and vendors competed in minute-to-win-it-type games, with IMCO contributing $100 per point earned to Provision Packs. Attendees also had an opportunity to participate in a 50/50 raffle to raise additional funds. “We have raised over $9,000 so far this year for Provision Packs, including proceeds from our second annual Pentathlon,” says McLaughlin.
“The industry can help support the fight to end childhood hunger through donations,” she says. “Every dollar helps. Even more important, I challenge everyone to look within your own communities and make sure your local school system has a similar advocate in place protecting the needs of children.
“Donate your time and money and help spread awareness. If this is happening in our community, it’s happening in yours too.”
Supporting foster children
Together We Rise (www.togetherwerise.org) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the way youth navigate through the foster care system in America. Concordance Healthcare Solutions chose to support the organization for its “Contribute 2019” event in April.
An estimated 250,000 children enter the foster care system each year, says Jelks. “Many enter foster care with little to no personal belongings and are sometimes victims of abuse, poverty or neglect. As children move through the foster system, they’re usually given trash bags to carry what few belongings they have.”
At the event, teams of 10 were created, intermixing over 200 Concordance employees so that they were able to work with people from different states, different roles, different backgrounds, and get to know each other. Each team was tasked with completing five Sweet Cases and five Birthday Boxes.
“We were able to positively impact the lives of over 200 area foster children and, through the sale of special T-shirts, we also donated over $700 in cash to help with the day-to-day needs of the center,” she says. “Visit togetherwerise.org, where you can learn how to donate your birthday, host a fundraiser or even your next team-building event.”
A ‘charity of their choosing’
NDC supports many charities, including:
- Second Harvest Food Bank (feeds hungry people and addresses hunger issues in Middle and West Tennessee).
- Folds of Honor (provides educational scholarships to spouses and children of America’s fallen and disabled service members).
- Quantum Leap Farm (strives to improve the quality of life and cultivate human potential through equine-assisted therapies).
In addition, NDC partners with ZOLL Medical Corporation to donate an automated external defibrillator every year to a charitable organization selected by one of NDC’s distributor members. Most recently, NDC member D & H Wholesale Medical, Inc. chose Quantum Leap Farm as the recipient of a ZOLL AED.
NDC offers employees two days a year of paid time to volunteer at any charity of their choosing. Additionally, NDC offers a “Dollars for Doers” program: When an employee volunteers at an eligible non-profit, the company donates to that organization. NDC also partners with its distribution partners to collectively support charitable initiatives.
NDC employees volunteer regularly at Second Harvest Food Bank because “giving back to local communities is an important part of independent distribution,” says Martin. At a recent volunteer event, NDC employees processed just over 8,000 pounds of food, ensuring meals for approximately 7,000 individuals throughout Middle Tennessee.
In the case of Folds of Honor, NDC partnered with GOJO Healthcare for Military Appreciation Night during the annual NDC Exhibition. Industry leaders came together to celebrate active and retired military members, donating the proceeds from the evening to support scholarships for spouses and children of fallen soldiers.
Children’s health
Children’s Health Fund (www.childrenshealthfund.org) envisions a future where all children in the United States get the care and support they need to thrive. Because healthcare is a critical component of that vision and inequities in access exist, CHF’s mission is to ensure access to high-quality healthcare for America’s most disadvantaged children. CHF also works to reduce health barriers to learning, brings the voice of children to local and national policy debates, and in times of disaster, activates care for those in need.
“Our relationship with CHF reflects the important role public-private partnerships can play to help strengthen the healthcare infrastructure, and demonstrates how we as a company leverage our relationships with customers and supplier partners to drive corporate social responsibility activity that ultimately impacts the communities we serve,” according to Jennifer Kim Field and Cathy Gray at Henry Schein.
Henry Schein Medical and Henry Schein Cares Foundation (a 501(c)(3) organization that works to foster, support, and promote medical and dental health by helping to increase access to care in communities around the world) will provide a combination of cash and in-kind product donations valued at nearly $525,000 over four years. This donation will include a wide range of medical and dental products to support CHF’s mobile medical clinics and pediatric programs at 12 locations throughout the United States.
As part of the agreement, each site had an opportunity to request a custom product mix to meet their unique needs.
“We as distributors of healthcare products have a responsibility to impact change and expand access to care for those in need, and we can accomplish that through donations, showing support at Children’s Health Fund fundraiser events, and driving awareness by tapping into our various communications channels and networks of key industry leaders,” say Field and Gray.