Caresfield attended Premier Breakthroughs 22 last week in Washington D.C. It was a tremendous event filled with learning opportunities, a trade show and reverse expo.
We spoke with healthcare professionals from a variety of disciplines, from supply chain to lab and pharmacy directors. Some of the recurring themes included a strong desire for clear communication and transparency. Here are some tidbits we overheard on the show floor:
Cost Savings
“Right now, we are looking at new products or anything that would help us and help us save some money. Everything is pretty tight for us, with COVID it’s been really hard to get things. We’ve made a lot of good contacts today.” – Joyce Dayton, Director of Materials Management, Grant Memorial Hospital
“We’re looking for vendors who are more than transactional. We want the greatest value we can get out of the contract, other than the price at the pump. We look for other value adds and thinking outside the box. We’re looking for vendors who will do risk share models.” – Jessica Denney, Corporate Director of Purchasing, Ballad Health
Clear Communication
“We value clear communication. You’ve got to ask a rep seven, eight times for discounting and all these revisions for quotes. Listen to us in the beginning. When I ask for this to be included in the quote, make sure you include it in the quote. Don’t tell me it’s got to be later on and then don’t throw stuff into the package that I didn’t ask for.” – John Knapp, Corporate Director, Clinical Engineering Services, Lifebridge Health
“A vendor relationship has to be a partnership. There has to be value for both the vendor and the care provider.” – Terry Abear, Director of Supply Chain, Cuyuna Regional Medical Center
“I’ve been in the GPO industry for 20 years. Be open, honest and approachable. I’ll tell you what I can do, you tell me what you can do and if we can find a way to work it will work. No need to waste your time or mine.” – Tony Watson, CEO, Buygility
“We have a great relationship with Caresfield, I talk to my rep quarterly which feels very appropriate and respectful of my time and attention. Additionally, when I have reached out with any needs I get incredibly prompt response. Appreciate the partnership.” – Tracey Haines BSN, RN Sourcing Manager for Nursing, Kettering Health Network
Customer Service
“Let’s say we implement new wristbands, we would expect those sales reps to go and to make sure the implementation went well. We’ve had instances where we’ve implemented a conversion from one product to another, and it doesn’t necessarily go smoothly. It could have if some of the sales force from the vendor were helping our clinical leaders along the way.” – Evan Hersch, System Director of Procurement, Supply Chain Operations, UofL Health
“For us as a group purchasing organization, we are looking for open communication and customer service. A member comes to me when they have a need. When I send them to a vendor, I want to ensure they are getting answers and the customer service they are looking for.” Leyna Chavez, Manager, Client Services, Champs Group Processing
The Caresfield Difference
Caresfield is a Premier Contracted supplier of labels, identification bands, exam gloves and specimen collection products. Premier customers receive free freight and same-day shipping on in-stock products. If you are looking to convert to Caresfield labels, we can have 90 percent of your spend ready within three weeks, with very little effort on your part. Use the live chat on our website or call 952-890-7100 to talk to a real person to learn more!
