Catching up with Midmark’s Chris Huppert, Excellence in Sales Award winner from 2016.
Chris Huppert has had a busy few years since winning the Excellence in Sales Award in 2016. He and his wife Jennifer celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary last year. In the spring of 2022, he was promoted to the role of Enterprise Specialist for Integrated Diagnostic Devices for the Southeast Region. And of course, several years ago Huppert was busy helping clients navigate the disruptions and challenges caused by the COVID pandemic.
Repertoire Magazine caught up with Huppert recently on those topics, as well as what he sees as key industry trends in the coming months and years.
Can you fill us in on your current role and responsibilities?
In the spring of 2022, I was promoted to the role of Enterprise Specialist for Integrated Diagnostic Devices for the Southeast Region, covering five states. The role is designed to position the value Midmark brings through EMR-integrated diagnostic device solutions with our partners.
What exactly does an Enterprise Specialist for Integrated Diagnostic Devices do?
The main responsibility is to represent our portfolio of medical devices, software and services which drive clinical workflow efficiencies for our customers, in both acute and ambulatory markets. This can be accomplished in several ways including proactively targeting and engaging IT, EMR and clinical operations personas in key customers. We’ve also had a great deal of success through the Midmark Exam Room Design Insights Workshops. Naturally on-site product demonstrations are still effective in some scenarios.
Update us on what you have been up to since we interviewed you for the Excellence in Sales award in 2016. Any big life moments you wanted to share?
My wife Jennifer and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary last year and enjoyed a memorable trip to Paris and London. I wouldn’t consider this a big life moment but like many people these days, we have caught the pickleball bug which we both enjoy. Lastly, we still have our golden retrievers, Hendrix and Banks, but are no longer competing.
What about professionally? Obviously the pandemic was a huge event. What’s it like calling on customers in a post pandemic marketplace?
Many of us in the medical field, be it in sales or in non-patient facing roles at the end-user level became accustomed to working remotely. One difference between my previous role and my current Enterprise Specialist role is the amount of engagement I have with IT and EMR personnel, many of whom still work remotely, so becoming proficient in the use of virtual meeting tools has been important. However, when we are in person at a health system or clinic, things tend to be back to pre-pandemic conditions, but sill with a conscious awareness of the surroundings in which case we adapt as needed.
What do they want out of their industry partners?
The pandemic significantly affected clinical staff as well as the patient experience. At Midmark, we take a focused approach to the patient-caregiver experience. A shortage of clinical personnel has placed a significant amount of stress on staff, which in turn can have adverse effects on the patient experience. Through our understanding of lean process improvement, we can engage with our partners to uncover inefficiencies in their workflow and assist them in improving those areas. Our integrated diagnostic devices would be a perfect example of how, by eliminating the need to manually transcribe data into a patient’s chart, the clinical team can regain valuable time while also reducing transcription errors.
We hear you are still volunteering at The Players Championship. Please tell us about that.
This March will mark my nineteenth year of volunteering at The Players Championship. I’ve been fortunate to have held the same position during that time as the First Tee Announcer, where I am responsible for, among other things, introducing each player to the fans prior to hitting their first tee shot. It’s arguably the best seat in the house to be inside the ropes watching the best golfers in the world at their craft.
What trends or industry issues are you keeping an eye on in 2025 as far as how they may affect your job or your clients’ business?
That’s a great question. There are certainly many trends and issues we’re seeing daily in our industry. One of the biggest issues is the fact that heart disease remains the number one cause of death in America. Controlling hypertension is at the foundation of improving this statistic, and that starts with understanding the importance of a proper blood pressure acquisition. Value-based care can have a positive impact on hypertension control, so I continue to follow that trend to see where it leads.
The US Access Board recently announced new guidelines for accessible medical equipment for patients which happens to include examination chairs. That’s something we at Midmark have had a steady focus on for some time now. Obviously with a new administration in Washington, there will be plenty of news to follow regarding funding for CMS and the Veterans Administration which can have an impact on our business.
From a different perspective, interest rates play a significant role on the business side, not just in the procurement of equipment at the clinic level but also from a real estate perspective.