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COVID-19: The industry responds

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STRONG TOGETHER TODAY... STRONGER TOGETHER TOMORROW The COVID-19 pandemic is our generationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most severe healthcare challenge. We are so grateful to our healthcare professionals who selflessly put themselves out there every day to care for our citizens. You are truly heroes. We also thank our distribution partners who provide the essential products to those professionals. We are here to support all of you in any way possible. Our employees are committed to maintaining business continuity and manufacturing during this time to continue to provide the diagnostic tools they need. Sekisui Diagnostics is here for you because we understand every result matters. We will get through this, together.

BOB SCHRUENDER PRESIDENT AND CEO

LEE LIPSKI SR. VP & GENERAL MANAGER, IVD BUSINESS UNIT

JULY 2020 • VOLUME 28 • ISSUE 7

COVID-19:

The industry responds 16 PUBLISHER’S LETTER The Gift of Freedom.......................4

PHYSICIAN OFFICE LAB Managing Your Product Mix Steps to take for proper planning and analysis................................ 6

TRENDS

IDN Opportunities

A Continuous Journey UHS sees career development as an ongoing partnership between employees and managers.

Infectious disease expert: Infection preventionists are “essential” to the COVID-19 response....................... 35

repertoire magazine (ISSN 1520-7587) is published monthly by Share Moving Media, 1735 N. Brown Rd. Ste. 140, Lawrenceville, GA 30043-8153. Copyright 2020 by Share Moving Media. All rights reserved. Subscriptions: $49.00 per year for individuals; issues are sent free of charge to dealer representatives. If you would like to subscribe or notify us of address changes, please contact us at the above numbers or address. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Repertoire, 1735 N. Brown Rd. Ste. 140, Lawrenceville, GA 30043-8153. Please note: The acceptance of advertising or products mentioned by contributing authors does not constitute endorsement by the publisher. Publisher cannot accept responsibility for the correctness of an opinion expressed by contributing authors. Periodicals Postage Paid at Lawrenceville, GA and at additional mailing offices.

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JULY 2020 • VOLUME 28 • ISSUE 7

TRENDS Telemedicine and the sales rep............................ 36 Resuming elective surgeries: A roadmap.......................................... 40 Counting the Cost A recent AHA report assessed the financial impact of COVID-19 on the nation’s hospitals and health systems....................42

Sales

Warming Up 12 ways to stay motivated and beat the odds through the summer sales slump

SMART SELLING Savvy Selling 5 ideas for selling in a post-pandemic environment...................51

INDUSTRY NEWS News ........................................................52

Healthy Reps

Health news and notes

Windshield Time

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July 2020

Automotive-related news •

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PUBLISHER’S LETTER

The Gift of Freedom Each year in the July Publisher’s Letter I write how much I love the Fourth of July. I must

admit this year it is a little tough to be excited. As the son and grandson of lifers in the Marine Corps – two men that were willing to lay down their lives for our country – I am saddened by the shape in which we find ourselves. That said, this issue is about men and women in service, so instead of talking about the negative, let’s take a hopeful look at what we are blessed to have as Americans. We are all free to get on a plane and fly to see our parents and children. We are free to become whatever we want. We are free to choose our religion or have none. We are free to drive across this amazing country without restrictions. We are free to love who we want to love. We are free to use our voices and speak what we want to speak. Freedom is a gift that many in this world never taste, yet as Americans we are free and we cannot forget that. Thank you to the men and women who provide us these freedoms. I am also abundantly thankful for our advertisers and readers. You make up an industry that has had a spotlight on it these past several months and you have shined beyond anyone’s expectation. I have always taken pride in my career, but going through COVID and watching you do amazing things, my pride in our industry has gone to a different level. Our industry is as important to America as any other and we should all be proud to serve in it. As Americans we are free. There are times we all take it for granted, but this month of July as we celebrate our freedom let us all pause for a few minutes to be thankful for our imperfect country. Let’s turn off 24-hour news for the month and just be grateful for where we live and our ability to change and be free.

Scott Adams

This issue is about men and women in service, so instead of talking about the negative, let’s take a hopeful look at what we are blessed to have as Americans.

Dedicated to the industry, R. Scott Adams

repertoire is published monthly by Share Moving Media 1735 N. Brown Rd., Suite 140, Lawrenceville, GA 30043 Phone: (800) 536-5312, FAX: (770) 709-5432; e-mail: info@sharemovingmedia; www.sharemovingmedia.com

editorial staff managing editor

Graham Garrison

vice president of sales

Katie Educate

keducate@sharemovingmedia.com (800) 536.5312 x5271

ggarrison@sharemovingmedia.com publisher editor-in-chief, Dail-eNews

Alan Cherry

acherry@sharemovingmedia.com managing editor, Dail-eNews

Daniel Beaird

dbeaird@sharemovingmedia.com art director

Brent Cashman bcashman@sharemovingmedia.com

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Scott Adams sadams@sharemovingmedia.com (800) 536.5312 x5256 founder

Brian Taylor btaylor@sharemovingmedia.com circulation

Laura Gantert lgantert@sharemovingmedia.com

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2020 editorial board Richard Bigham: IMCO Eddie Dienes: McKesson Medical-Surgical Joan Eliasek: McKesson Medical-Surgical Ty Ford: Henry Schein Doug Harper: NDC Homecare Mark Kline: NDC Bob Ortiz: Medline Keith Boivin: IMCO Home Care

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PHYSICIAN OFFICE LAB

Managing Your Product Mix Steps to take for proper planning and analysis

Experienced, well-established distribution account managers can usually go about their business from day to day

and be successful with limited planning. After all, customer loyalty, great suppliers and superb support from their company put them in an excellent starting position every day. You might say they start the race in pole position.

But, it’s a long race and starting on the pole few calls today, check in with my key customers, does not guarantee a podium finish. What sepremind folks of a promo or two and see what arates the very good from the best? Sales skills happens” mentality. If showing up for work count. So does having access to an outstanding is half the battle is true, this is not the worst range of products customers want and need at approach you could use. At least it gets you out By Jim Poggi competitive prices. Add in exceptional suppliin front of opportunities every day and in coners and you have a great mix. versation with your customers and prospects. Yet there is still one ingredient missing, and that’s the But what happens when you thoughtfully plan your subject of this column – good old-fashioned planning activities every week and track which products and services and analysis. make a difference for your customers and which help you While planning may seem to be the least glamourous increase your revenue, margin and earnings? In my experience, element of the life of the experienced sale professional, the very best account managers leave little to chance and in my opinion it’s what separates the great from the near start each day with a clear vision of what they will do, and great. With over 250,000 products to pick from and a wellhow they will manage their business for the greatest return established customer base, it’s easy to fall into the “Make a on their time, their most valuable resource. 6

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PHYSICIAN OFFICE LAB Let’s take a look at some simple ways to analyze and plan your activities that provide you with some structure without consuming tons of time. After all, one of the most common excuses I hear for not planning is “I just don’t have the time. I’m too busy putting out fires.” Did you ever stop to think that at least some of the fires stem from lack of planning?

recognized at their annual sales meeting as a top performer. Your near-term goal should span at least a month or quarter, and your longer term objective should cover the business period.

and service breadth their customers need. It may vary by group size or by specialty, but there are common threads. Pediatricians tend to have the same needs, as do most other practice specialties. I have found that thinking about the needs of my ideal customer by specialty helps you narrow your focus and target the right products and services. As you consider product opportunities, take the time to understand and promote products that naturally complement each other. Remind your customers who have spend gaps which products and services customers just like them use to manage their practice and business. We all know what to sell in respiratory season: prevention, protection, testing and treatment are the three pillars of products and services our customers need. What about back-to-school season? How about chronic care opportunities? Do you have a plan for each type of opportunity and know which customers are most likely to need the products and services you and your company offer? Every professional account manager knows which products you have that are best in class. Be sure to highlight them as you describe your service offering. It is important to gain and use feedback and support from your key suppliers as you go about planning, especially as your company provides you with new products and promotions. How does COVID-19 testing fit into respiratory season? Will there be changes in how physician practices see patients this year? If so, how can you help with workflow, patient safety and rapid, effective diagnosis and treatment?

Step 2: O nce you set your objective, evaluate your territory as a portfolio manager

Step 3: Integrate corporate communication, promotions and focus into your daily routine

Understand your customers’ challenges and pain. Is it time management, spend management, running a POL, keeping up with regulatory requirements, or competition from retail convenience clinics and free-standing urgent care centers? Knowing what your customers are up against provides the base case for understanding which suppliers, products and services you can offer for the greatest benefit to them – and you and your company. Make a list of the key issues faced by your customers and thoughtfully consider the options to help them with your key suppliers, your manager, trusted colleagues and home office support team. In my experience, having customer spend and gap reports can go a long way to help the professional account manager understand the product

Is your company driving diabetes and cardiovascular disease awareness and prevention? Is your current corporate focus intended to help your customers thrive in new market conditions created by COVID-19, PAMA and MACRA? How do your key suppliers fit into the mix? What are their promotions and how do they benefit your customers?

Step 1: S et your objective realistically and stick to it If you dare to give planning a shot, you need to develop a firm objective. You need to know the end game before you can plan to achieve it. As a straw man, let’s start with an objective I hear from many professional account managers: Their goal is to be first or second in their regional sales ranking every month and quarter. And their longer-term goal is to be

While planning may seem to be the least glamourous element of the life of the experienced sale professional, in my opinion it’s what separates the great from the near great.

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Step 4: Putting it all together You have all the skills, outstanding suppliers and products, great customer loyalty and work for a great distributor. Add in a little planning to your daily routine and see what happens. My prediction: you will experience fewer fire drills, have more satisfied customers and increase your revenues, margin and earnings.

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IDN OPPORTUNITIES

Pictured here, L to R – Members of the Universal Health Services (UHS) Supply Chain Team: Jennifer Taylor, Manager, Contracts, Supply Chain Thomas Kayal, Contracts Analyst, Supply Chain Jennifer Ahern, Senior Contract Specialist, Supply Chain Raymond Davis, VP, Supply Chain, Universal Health Services

A Continuous Journey UHS sees career development as an ongoing partnership between employees and managers. For Raymond Davis, vice president, supply chain, Universal Health Services (UHS), every supply chain endeavor

starts with one critical factor – the right people. “We need high-performing individuals who provide creative solutions and new approaches to enable our supply chain to be industry leading,” he said. “Starting with the right human capital is crucial to produce the right solution and product for all of our customers.”

UHS has developed a robust way of identifying and developing talent. Davis spoke with The Journal of Healthcare Contracting, a sister publication of Repertoire Magazine, about this process, and the benefits it can bring for healthcare supply chain teams and their overall organizations. JHC: Why is human capital important to the success of your supply chain initiatives? What about your organization as a whole? Davis: UHS’s supply chain is entering into year three of our five-year strategy plan. The most important pillar of our strategy is organization. This pillar defines and outlines our plan and approach to talent. 10

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We need high-performing individuals who provide creative solutions and new approaches to enable our supply chain to be industry leading. Starting with the right human capital is crucial to produce the right solution and product for all of our customers. We have built and deployed training/development programs including: Six Sigma, career enrichment tracks, and an intern program with the intent of empowering our employees to create solutions for their roles. The Six Sigma training is now a daily part of our work. Every team member receives yellow belt training and with the training, each member must identify and complete an improvement project. In 2019, we had 17 yellow belts

certified completing approximately 24 projects with over $2 million in direct expense reduction. With improvements in process and service over the past two years, we have taken on additional customers and increased our spend oversight and impact to the organization by over 20%. Without our valuable team, we would not be able to take on this effort. The intern program has helped us connect with local colleges and bring in brilliant up-and-coming supply chain talent. Our career ladders start at the intern level to create a full trajectory for promotions. We have been able to obtain talent through the intern program transitioning into full-time employment. Through these programs we work to ensure our employees feel empowered to make decisions when they can and not hesitate to ask questions when necessary. We have worked to foster a culture where individuals can fail quickly and safely. Employees grow from all mistakes, this approach to learning and development has helped us create a high-performing and healthy environment for all employees. JHC: During your career, did you have an “aha” moment as it relates to the importance of talent development for a team and organization? Davis: Early in my career, I was fortunate to have mentors and leaders who took the time with me to discuss my personal development. One of the more memorable experiences early on in my career that helped to shape my perspective on talent was a systemlevel process improvement portfolio. One of the projects had stalled and the leaders of the group were at odds with each other. One of the team members who was the only non-leadership position on the team took it upon himself to realign the team, focus the group, and create accountably for the project. Seeing this example of informal leadership, drive, and initiative really helped to shift my thought process on leadership, behaviors, and how to engage the right kind of talent on a team. I learned to focus on leadership as a behavior for all employees, not just employees who are formally titled as leaders.

Davis: Our entire focus during a recruitment cycle is to identify talented people who will bring a new and diverse perspective to our team. We have sourced employees from various industries, each bringing different backgrounds and expertise. We like to see continuity of job experience and a track record of success. In addition to experience, we place a strong emphasis on trying to bring in new talent straight out of college. Two years ago, we started to build relationships with local universities to develop our internship program and increase our talent pool. During the fall semester, we visit various universities to give informational presentations about UHS and working in the healthcare industry as a supply chain professional. Since the inception of our program, we have had two cohorts of interns, leading to job offers and employment with our team. We have already completed recruitment for our third cohort of interns for summer 2020. When looking for candidates, we strive to diversify our team with individuals of all levels of experience and backgrounds. When selecting new team members, we are looking for individuals who are driven, emotionally intelligent, team-oriented and innovative. We often collaborate with internal and external customers, making these characteristics crucial for individuals to be successful in supply chain. Emotional intelligence is necessary as it shows they have the ability to monitor one’s own and other people’s emotions, to distinguish between different reactions and label them appropriately and to use information to guide thinking and behavior. If an individual is able to develop their emotional intelligence, it will help them be successful.

If employees are able to clearly see their trajectory, it helps them to properly manage their development and career path.

JHC: What goes in to selecting the best members for a high-performing supply chain team? What are you looking for?

JHC: How do you develop the talent in your organization? Davis: Our corporate HR team develops talent in our organization by offering “m3 for emerging leaders,” a course designed for employees with strong leadership skills without direct reports who often interact with all levels of management. This program focuses on accountability, managing conflict, communication, change management and overall professional development. Employees are also encouraged to complete Individual Development Plans to assist them in taking charge of their professional development. UHS has also created a new program dedicated toward enhancing employee experience, known as Team C.A.R.E. (Connecting, Attracting, Retaining, Engaging). www.repertoiremag.com

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IDN OPPORTUNITIES The various committees (Health & Wellness, Career Enrichment and Social & Community) that fall under Team C.A.R.E. are comprised of top employee volunteers. Since the inception of Team C.A.R.E., hundreds of corporate employees have participated in the various events further fostering the relationships individuals have developed. We develop our talent within the supply chain in a number of ways. We have created various levels of development groups based on years in the workforce. A new employee group dedicated to employees who have been in the workforce for less than three years, a leadership development group for those in managerial positions and we will be launching an ongoing career enrichment group this year. These development groups focus on building and growing employees not just professionally, but also personally. At UHS, we see development as an ongoing partnership between employees and managers. Development is a continuous journey with milestone goals and should be a constant evolution. We have also placed great emphasis on process improvement, which focuses on guiding principles, methods and sound project management. The principles include the following: ʯ Put customers first. Customers are at the center of what we do. We define value through the eyes of the customers and respond to their needs/ wants as balanced with the voice of the business. ʯ Be inclusive. The people in the process must change their work and they must work together. ʯ Make problems visible and solve them. We make problems visible through metrics and visual signals and provide the support systems to solve problems quickly, collaboratively and for root cause. ʯ Strengthen process stability and flexibility. We seek to be predictable and responsive by defining simple, standard processes. We see all work as a process. 12

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ʯ Optimize the value stream. Building on our stability, we connect our material, information streams and expertise to create flow. ʯ Develop people. People are our best assets so they must be engaged and developed. Focus on the development of people as problem solvers in all levels of the organization. UHS Supply Chain uses a holistic and agile approach to process improvement. We use Lean, Project Management, Six Sigma and Change Management to deliver effective and efficient processes. These efforts are in the framework of projects or embedded in our daily work. JHC: How has your investment in your supply chain team paid off? Davis: Our investment in the supply chain team has paid off greatly. We have established detailed career ladders starting at the intern level so everyone knows exactly where he or she can advance. It includes two tracks: one for management and one for individual contributors. The ladders also include the base criteria

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IDN OPPORTUNITIES of what an individual needs to accomplish prior to them being promoted to the next position. This has proved very beneficial, as it allows us to be transparent with employees, so they understand promotions are not just based on longevity but on the quality and quantity of effort. From our lean Six Sigma program, we have completed several projects that have resulted in waste elimination, program development and overall savings. Projects ranged from reducing non-contract spend, creating a request for proposal submission site, detailing out contract terms and conditions guidelines and creating procedures for the supply chain internship program. The success of the yellow belt program has led us to establish a green belt program. By the end of 2020, every employee will have at least one yellow belt project completed and smaller select group will be working toward their green belt certification. We have also provided contract training, which includes how to review a contract and tips for negotiations for the entire supply chain department to ensure everyone is aware of the process and feels confident making decisions.

JHC: What are new skills supply chain leaders will need to develop in the next five to 10 years? Davis: Increased focus on emotional intelligence, developing mentoring programs, succession planning and ensuring that employees have access to challenging opportunities to learn and grow. Establishing mentoring programs are essential because they contribute to the development of a better-trained and engaged workforce. They help develop relationships, identify skills that need improvement and can lead to increased job satisfaction as it shows the organization is willing to invest in its employees. Mentoring also helps individuals navigate their career. Succession planning is also important to develop a focused process for keeping talent in the organization. If employees are able to clearly see their trajectory, it helps them to properly manage their development and career path. Providing access to opportunities outside normal job descriptions is crucial as well. All levels of employees should be given opportunities to expand their knowledge regardless of job title. This allows employees to think outside of the box and really challenge themselves to see what they can do.

I learned to focus on leadership as a behavior for all employees, not just employees who are formally titled as leaders.

Universal Health Services at a glance One of the nation’s largest and most respected providers of hospital and healthcare services, Universal Health Services (UHS), Inc. has built an impressive record of achievement and performance. UHS has served its communities for over 40 years and cares for about 2.6 million patients each year. Headquartered in King of Prussia, PA, UHS has more than 87,000 employees and through its subsidiaries operates 26 acute care hospitals, 327 behavioral health facilities, 40 outpatient facilities and ambulatory

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care access points, an insurance offering, a physician network and various related services located in 37 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom. In 2020, UHS again was recognized as one of the World’s Most Admired Companies by Fortune; in 2019, ranked #293 on the Fortune 500; and in 2017, listed #275 in Forbes inaugural ranking of America’s Top 500 Public Companies. The corporate supply chain team consists of sourcing and contracting,

purchasing, value analysis, food and nutrition, pharmacy, process improvement and data analytics. “We have operations teams across all of our medical-surgical acute care facilities providing service for our patients and their loved ones,” said Raymond Davis, vice president, supply chain, Universal Health Services. “We are a centralized team providing support for all of our business segments including behavioral health, acute care, corporate, and our physician practices.”

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COVID-19: The industry responds The COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on America’s

economy, organizations, communities and families. But the med/surg industry did not sit idly by. Whether working from home or working with an extensive list of protocols and safeguards, the industry’s med/surg reps, warehouse workers, truck drivers and more rolled up their collective sleeves and went to extraordinary lengths. The following is part one of a two-part series of stories that delve into different facets of the industry’s response to COVID-19, and how it has impacted the marketplace.

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Hillrom offers Welch Allyn® single patient use disposables for the physical exam. By eliminating the need to clean and reprocess items that directly touch the patient, adding single patient use solutions can create a greater sense of comfort and confidence that risk of cross contamination is being mitigated.

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COVID-19: The industry responds Medical Resources: Innovation amid a pandemic Keep moving forward. That was the message Randy

Bringing new products to market

Reichenbach, general manager of Medical Resources, an IMCO member, wanted his team to keep in mind as they tried to keep up with the unprecedented demand for products amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Everyone in healthcare was feeling the pressure, he said, especially on the provider side. And not just the frontline caregivers, but the purchasing departments trying to keep them well supplied, staff and caregivers at nursing homes and assisted living, as well as responders like EMS, police, National Guard and armed forces personnel. “Every time we started getting stressed, we’d take a step back and say ‘You know what? We’re not frontline providers and staff,” said Reichenbach. “We’re in a protected environment working to provide product where we can.’ So we’d look at it that way: ‘Okay, let’s keep moving forward.’” Despite being short staffed and working through supply disruptions, Medical Resources continued to deliver product amid skyrocketing demands. Reichenbach said they would get a lot of calls wanting product at the last minute. For instance, one caller asked for 250 IV poles in two days. When told Medical Resources could probably do it in two weeks, they at first declined, but then would call back a day or so later saying they would take them. In another instance, a potential customer would ask Medical Resources to find 500 hospital beds, but wouldn’t have a Purchase Order ready. “It’s been crazy for us, and for our customers that are on the hospital side.” However, the scene was markedly different at physician offices and surgery centers. “They weren’t doing anything,” he said. “They were closed down. So, businesses have had some ups and downs.”

Reichenbach said they started running across so many situations where there weren’t any products available that Medical Resources decided to make its own in certain categories. Some of the products Medical Resources came to market with included stainless-steel hand washing stations, plexiglass dividers where healthcare providers had intake to separate staff from patients and staff from staff, and room dividers. They worked with a group from the University of Cincinnati and Procter & Gamble to develop a ventilator, and got involved in the design of a first responder respirator. “I think you’re going to see a lot of manufacturers, distributors and other people step up with these kinds of initiatives,” said Reichenbach. Reichenbach said their customer base has shifted to sources outside of healthcare as a result of COVID-19. “We’re getting calls from hotels, casinos, cruise ship companies, interior design groups, grocery – all looking at how they can have cleaner facilities,” he said. Many organizations are wanting to move away from open offices back to closed office settings. They’re also inquiring about innovative infection prevention solutions. “Ultraviolet cleaning is a hot topic,” said Reichenbach. “We’ve put out about $800,000 of quotes in the last two weeks on just UV cleaning.” Medical Resources has also received many calls from healthcare and private sector businesses and manufacturers about CuVerro Antimicrobial Copper, a solid surface that continuously kills 99.9% harmful bacteria when cleaned regularly, according to studies.

Infection prevention should remain ‘a big deal’ Reichenbach said there are a lot of lessons the industry has learned from COVID-19, especially the importance of proper infection control. Healthcare providers should be implementing increased hand washing, enhanced terminal cleans, disinfectants and PPE,

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plus new ones to mitigate HAIs and to decrease cross infection. “That’s a really big deal. I hope it’s not one of those things where when this goes away everyone forgets about it.” Previous to COVID-19, proper infection prevention had been hit or

miss at hospitals and healthcare facilities. “Over the years, I’ve seen a lot of hospitals that are really clean and wellmanaged. But, I’ve also seen a lot that weren’t. And I think we’ll see a really big push too increase the amount of cleanliness in hospitals and nursing homes.”

COVID-19: The industry responds McKesson: Answering the call

On Friday, March 21, 2020, Tad Strong, vice president

of global supplier operations, McKesson MedicalSurgical, received a phone call from his boss, Andy Birken, who wanted to talk about a project through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) called Project Airbridge. The federal government was reaching out to suppliers, delivery companies and other healthcare stakeholders for their help in getting critical personal protective equipment (PPE) to the United States more quickly. That one call extended through the entire weekend, resulting in a massive mobilization that would put McKesson’s capabilities to the test as it began putting together the requirements for Project Airbridge. Strong’s team (in the United States and China) quickly received notification that McKesson was asked to participate in Project 20

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Airbridge and was told its first flight was scheduled to depart in a matter of days.

Shifting modes Now engaged in the massive effort to quickly get critical PPE to the U.S. and then to the frontline healthcare workers, McKesson shifted its global supply chain operations from ocean (sea) freight to air freight for PPE products in less than a week. Strong’s team created a bridge line with Radiant Global Logistics (FEMA’s agent for all aircraft) and FEMA to discuss daily operations and planning for all FEMA flights carrying McKesson supplies. The team identified key external supply chain partners to provide support between McKesson and its PPE suppliers. “They assisted our efforts by helping us move freight within China and

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COVID-19: The industry responds Malaysia from the factories to the airports,” Strong said. Through the coordinated effort, as of June 1, “These supply chain partners also provided warehousing McKesson has accelerated the supply chain delivery and load planning for the FEMA aircraft. We immediately time for over 405 million eaches of a variety of PPE shifted from our standard transporproducts, including gloves (nitrile, tation process and started transportlatex, and vinyl), gowns, coveralls, “The expedited ing product to multiple staging areas masks (N95, procedure, and surgiand airports to expedite air freight cal), face shields, thermometry, and arrival of the PPE departure to the United States.” respiratory items. has played a big McKesson added additional interOnce the products arrived in part in bridging the nal resources to support all the extra the United States, McKesson teams demand gap by using work required for a successful operawere able to efficiently distribute the air freight, getting tion. Strong said staff was temporarPPE to the nation’s frontline healthcritical supplies ily brought in to manage the commucare providers in the COVID-19 to the U.S. in nications and reporting for the entire hot zones, as well as other areas and project, and McKesson’s internal providers throughout the United 2 to 3 days verses U.S. Customs brokerage team quickly States. “The expedited arrival of 30 to 40 days.” jumped in to help with the clearthe PPE has played a big part in – Tad Strong, vice president ance of all product arriving in the bridging the demand gap by using of global supplier operations, McKesson Medical-Surgical United States. air freight, getting critical supplies to the U.S. in 2 to 3 days verses 30 to 40 days,” said Strong. “The PPE items help protect our health care providers on the front lines and better equip them while they attend to No shortage of obstacles the American people.” Tad Strong, vice president of global supplier operations, McKesson The project has been incredMedical-Surgical highlighted several challenges his team faced while ibly rewarding, Strong said. “As I participating in Project Airbridge: stated earlier, McKesson was able to ʯ “We were asked to change our standard ocean container freight work closely with FEMA and other supply chain strategy to an air freight strategy in 5 days.” government agencies, supply chain ʯ “We were challenged with providing enough product to fill a 747 partners, our global suppliers, and every other day. As a reference, a 747 (400) holds roughly 5-6, many others to more rapidly bring 40-foot sea containers of products. Getting all of the required much-needed PPE to the frontline product to the departing airports with all the congestion led to healthcare workers to battle the changing flight schedules and 10-hour delays in receiving prodCOVID-19 pandemic,” said Strong. uct from our suppliers.” “It has been amazing to see a large ʯ “We asked all our PPE global supplier partners to provide prodorganization like McKesson be so uct daily instead of a bi-weekly production schedule.” nimble and I am proud to be a part ʯ “Regulations that involved Chinese customs clearance for PPE of the team.” products were revised multiple times just in the month of April. Personally, Strong’s daughter is This caused delays in product leaving the country and many an RN in a hospital in Birmingham, added hours of additional paperwork for the suppliers and Alabama, and she has expressed distributors trying to clear the product for flights bound to the the challenges of getting PPE in United States.” her hospital. “I know the efforts of McKesson and the other participants of Project Airbridge directly have played a big part in changing that.” 22

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COVID-19: The industry responds CME: Plan, Procure and Install Three Alternate COVID-19 Hospitals in Three Weeks On March 30, 2020, CME Corp. (CME), a national full-

service equipment distributor and NDC member, got a call from David Schnell, branch preparedness chief at the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency, asking if CME would be interested in working with him on three different alternate hospitals treating COVID-19 patients in and around the Providence, Rhode Island area. The state needed to have properly equipped multiple alternate hospital sites up and running in a compressed timeframe. “Even though CME was working hard on many other critical COVID-19 projects across the country, we could not refuse the chance to help our home state of Rhode Island with their COVID-19 preparedness plan,” said Normand Chevrette, president, CME. The project involved planning, sourcing, receiving, staging, warehousing, assembling and delivering 15,893 items from 55 manufacturers to three sites in Providence, Cranston and North Kingston, Rhode Island. The entire project added 1,385 beds designated for low-acuity

COVID-19 patients managed by two large IDNs. Over five government agencies, two hospital systems, a project management team, an equipment planning group, a construction company, Rhode Island Disaster Medical Assistance Team (RIDMAT) and CME all collaborated in the planning and execution of the project. Government agencies included the National Guard, Office of the Governor, the Rhode Island Department of Health, the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Defense and local municipalities From March 30 to April 1, CME assessed sites with the National Guard and project management team. The CME government team then reviewed equipment lists with operations and clinic staff from two local hospitals responsible for operating the three new facilities. On April 2 and 3, CME sourced all items and began procurement. From April 6 to April 14, products were received at CME’s Warwick warehouse where they were staged, assembled and prepared for delivery. By April 15, products began to be delivered to the three sites in 50-plus trucks by more than 20 CME installer and technical services teammates.

Obstacles to overcome

Convention Center

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Challenges abounded. The most critical equipment needed for COVID19 temporary facilities was in short supply or had long lead times, said Cindy Juhas, chief strategy officer, CME. The timeline was tight – CME was tasked to find equipment that could be delivered within a twoweek timeframe. For example, the state needed 1,500 beds/mattresses, 1,200 commodes and 2,000 privacy curtains (3.6 miles of curtain). Equipment lists had to be created in a short timeframe.

Logistics, too, posed a challenge. The state of Rhode Island could provide no storage space for new equipment and had insufficient human resources to provide staging, assembly, installation and delivery direct to the rooms. Two of the three facilities required the assembled equipment delivered in a three-day period, including a weekend. And, having so many federal, state and local agencies trying to accomplish the same goals with different operating and management systems provided additional complications. Fortunately, CME maintains an up-to-date quick ship list that was utilized to find much of the equipment needed. Certain items had to be sourced from multiple vendors to get the large numbers needed. “CME created a team focused specifically on this project, including our government sales

team and several other key teammates who called to get confirmation of product availability and ship dates from over 50 manufacturers,” said Cindy Juhas, chief strategy officer, CME. CME made available the warehouse space and provided necessary staff to receive, inspect, stage, assemble and prepare for delivery. CME also opened its warehouse on a Saturday for the National Guard Commander and the Branch Preparedness Chief of the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency to inspect portions of the received product. Over 20 CME teammates loaded trucks and delivered product over two and a half days, including a weekend.

Responsive and understanding The project was primarily managed by an equipment planning group with direction from the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency and the Rhode Island National Guard. “All parties involved had to be patient, flexible and timely in their response,” said Juhas. The project was a success. Over 90% of the items were delivered within the timeframe presented. “Immediately upon being assigned the task of being on the Medical Surge Team, I thought about a local company in Warwick, CME Corp,” said Schnell. “Upon speaking to the CME staff, I knew I made the right call. They were responsive, understanding the urgency of the situation, and ready and willing to assist!” www.repertoiremag.com

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COVID-19: The industry responds Owens & Minor: In This Together To acknowledge and thank teammates for their extraordinary efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, Owens &

Minor recently launched “In This Together,” a campaign to internally spotlight the people handling increased warehouse, manufacturing, and hospital on-site needs. As a second phase to the campaign, the company is also externally recognizing individual contributors for the same dedication. Owens & Minor highlighted several team members through social media channels using the #InThisTogether hashtag so others could follow and recognize their commitment. The following teammates are a few of those the company thanked for their hard work.

Lianne Owens

Lianne Owens is a warehouse coordinator that went above and beyond in Owens & Minor’s New York Distribution Center to support customers and their patients. “She is well-known by her teammates for her positivity and willingness to lend a helping hand,” the company said in a LinkedIn spotlight. Matt Osborne is a warehouse specialist who volunteered to come in hours earlier than his scheduled start time to pick, process, and load freight going out to a customer’s COVID-19 warehouse that was not only servicing the customer, but an additional two hospitals. Carol Timm is a safety & training coordinator who took on extra cleaning and inspecting duties and made sure that Personal Protective Equipment was available to keep all teammates safe.

Carol Timm

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Matt Osborne

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Henry Schein: Extraordinary levels of commitment By Stanley Bergman, Chairman of the Board and CEO, Henry Schein, Inc. Editor’s note: In a letter to Henry Schein team members, Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and CEO, Henry Schein, Inc., offered some perspective on the challenges created by COVID-19, as well as how the company has rallied to meet the needs of the nation’s caregivers. History has repeatedly

shown us that during exceptional times, heroes rise to the challenge of the day. We see heroes in the healthcare professionals – doctors, dentists, physician assistants, nurses, emergency medical technicians, dental hygienists, dental assistants, and so many more – battling the virus Stanley M. Bergman on the front lines of the pandemic. These healthcare professionals and those working in essential services who deliver products and keep the shelves filled so the rest of us can receive necessary food and medicine are heroes. Let’s not forget the millions of self-sacrificing heroes who sit in isolation as we collectively try to halt the spread of this dreadful disease. Team Schein, of course, has our own heroes. Throughout our Company, we are seeing extraordinary levels of commitment, innovation, and teamwork – qualities that have distinguished Team Schein for decades. Because of Team Schein, our Company has rallied to handle these extraordinary challenges in an extraordinary way, and we will emerge from the COVID-19 crisis strong and well positioned to continue to be there to assist our customers providing high-quality care to patients.

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COVID-19: The industry responds DUKAL: Getting creative to solve widespread challenges

As the COVID-19 pandemic spread, the scope of work

didn’t increase incrementally for manufacturers like DUKAL. It exploded. “It was all hands-on deck for DUKAL employees,” said Travis Torre, director of logistics. “We started having daily COVID-19 pandemic meetings where every detail you can imagine was discussed and dissected over and over.” This proved to be the catalyst for operations, sales, purchasing, customer service, marketing “and our amazing Shanghai office to execute the daily changes,” said Torre. Twelve-hour days became the norm with every department in constant collaboration. Internally, DUKAL’s management team had the foresight to invest in technology to make sure that every employee could work from home and still run our company. “The IT Travis Torre team worked overtime to get this 28

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done and it was no easy task,” Torre said. “There was some trepidation at first, unsure if we could pull this off seamlessly while continuing to run the business as we did in our office setting. I am proud to say that we succeeded, and as a result were able to help and continue to supply our customers with much needed medical products.” There were many challenges that presented themselves, said Torre. On the purchasing/vendor side product costs skyrocketed for many reasons, such as lack of raw materials, and an unprecedented demand. Also, vendors were changing terms and asking for pre-payments along with higher cost products. “Additionally, air carriers were asking for 100% payment before the shipments even flew,” said Torre. “This could have put a strain on capital, but fortunately we started in a solid position having a sound company

We want to thank you, everyday warriors. We want want to to thank thank you, you, We As DUKAL employees work to ensure essential medical and everyday warriors. warriors. everyday PPE products are reaching healthcare workers on the frontlines AsCOVID-19, DUKAL employees work essential medical and of we want to taketoa ensure moment to recognize and As DUKAL employees work to ensure essential medical and PPE products are reaching workers on the frontlines thank the essential workers healthcare who are committing tireless PPE products are reaching healthcare workers on the frontlines of COVID-19, to going. take a moment to recognize and hours to keep we ourwant nation of COVID-19, we want to take a moment to recognize and thank the essential workers who are committing tireless thankit can thefeel essential workers whostill, are committing While like the world is standing everyone at DUKALtireless would like to acknowledge the hours to keep our nation going. postal - theour grocery and restaurant hoursworkers to keep nation going. workers - the farmers - the service worker - the not for profit staff - the truckers - the pharmacists - the police officers - the firefighters - the nurses, While it can feel like the world is standing still, everyone at DUKAL would like to acknowledge the doctors, therapists aides from the medical industry, While it can feel likeand thepatient world iscare standing still, everyone at DUKAL would like to acknowledge the postal workers - the grocery and restaurant workers - the farmers - the service worker - the not for know your selflessness and dedication is so appreciated. postal workers - the grocery and restaurant workers - the farmers - the service worker - the not for profit staff - the truckers - the pharmacists - the police officers - the firefighters - the nurses, profit staff - the truckers - the pharmacists - the police officers - the firefighters - the nurses, doctors, therapists and patient care aides from the medical industry, Follow @dukalcorp to hear DUKAL employees share their thanks. doctors, therapists and patient care aides from the medical industry, know your selflessness and dedication is so appreciated. know your selflessness and dedication is so appreciated. Follow @dukalcorp to hear DUKAL employees share their thanks. Follow @dukalcorp to hear DUKAL employees share their thanks.

www.dukal.com www.dukal.com www.dukal.com

COVID-19: The industry responds and a great CFO. This allowed us to navigate through this unprecedented challenge.” The DUKAL team also encountered many logistical challenges. “Due to the dire need of PPE products and masks we have had to do over 100 air shipments at rates we have never seen before and hope to never see again,” Torre said. Finding and booking space with airlines was another obstacle. With the Wuhan airport closed, the Shanghai airport was “pretty much the only game in town,” he said. “We had to get creative with

Torre said the DUKAL team grew as a company through this pandemic and learned more about each other and “what we can do with this company. Having smart, dedicated, and loyal employees is a recipe for success. As a group we were able to come up with many creative solutions to aid our customers.” destination airports you would not logistically bring cargo to under normal circumstances. For example, there was a situation in which we had to deliver a critical shipment to a customer in New York. JFK airport was not the best choice at that time due to cost and flight scheduling. As a result, we ended up routing the shipment into Chicago’s O’Hare airport and then trucked it to New York. “Early on if you were manufacturing or had vendors in the Hubei province it was almost impossible to find truckers to bring your cargo to Shanghai because of the restrictions and checkpoints,” Torre continued. “The Wuhan Port was closed and you could not use the Yangtze river feeder service for your containers to the Shanghai Port. However, having longtime positive relationships with vendors and our Shanghai office significantly decreased potential issues with our containers. We also paid a premium cost to use an ocean carrier with an 30

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established rail network in the United States that allowed our container cargo to reach its ultimate destination in shorter transit time.”

A desire to help others DUKAL was able to navigate those challenges with the leadership and passion of the owner of DUKAL, Gerry LoDuca, Torre said. “Gerry’s love of this business, and desire for helping other people set the example for every DUKAL employee to follow.” Torre said the DUKAL team grew as a company through this pandemic and learned more about each other and “what we can do with this company. Having smart, dedicated, and loyal employees is a recipe for success. As a group we were able to come up with many creative solutions to aid our customers.” Also, Torre said they would not have been able to succeed without an amazing support system in their supply chain. “Much of our success is tied to our 3PL and freight forwarder/customs broker. We are very fortunate to have such a great logistical supply chain that worked around the clock for us. We would not have been successful without them.” Taking care of DUKAL’s customers turned into a monumental challenge during the onset of the pandemic, Torre said. “DUKAL rose to that challenge, effectively helping our customers, to help our local communities through the acquisition and distribution of desperately needed medical supplies.”

Lessons learned Our industry will need to take a hard look at whom to go into partnership with, Travis Torre, director of logistics, DUKAL. “We need to ask the question, ‘Who did the right thing during the pandemic and who did not?’ When the dust settles, I believe our industry should consider off-shore vs. on-shore vs. near-shore options for critical products. DUKAL looks to be a leader in these discussions. We look forward to sharing our experiences with the industry to help shape the healthcare supply chain of the future.”

Hillrom territory manager: Doing what needs to be done The COVID-19 pandemic brought with it a new set of

risks and considerations when calling on healthcare providers. What wasn’t in question, though, was that those customers would continue to need essential equipment to deliver care. Prior to the pandemic, many CHC and IDN customers had placed orders with Hillrom for essential equipment that happened to need delivery under the new “stayat-home” orders, said Andrew Rose, territory manager, primary care, for Hillrom in Los Angeles/Orange Counties. Rose was determined to get those orders to customers. “I am a relatively healthy individual with no underlying issues that would make me fear COVID-19, and I took several precautions so that I didn’t bring anything home to family or friends,” he said. His decision was bolstered from Hillrom’s organizational support, he said. The company did not make it mandatory to either stay at home comAndrew Rose pletely, or to go into the field as normal, “so that allowed each sales rep the latitude to make safe and supportive decisions within their own territory,” Rose said. “That being said, Hillrom has been amazing at stepping up quickly and efficiently to provide us with any and all tools we could possibly need to be able to demo, sell, and support our products remotely using WebEx, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams. They have also provided special training courses on how to be a more effective sales/support rep using these tools, which has helped many of us become more comfortable doing many things remotely while still remaining effective.”

Finding a groove Rose said the main challenge of serving customers in the new environment dealt with enhanced screening protocols.

“But once you get into the groove of what is and isn’t allowable, it’s pretty simple to make things work as close to normal as possible.” Selling was more difficult, as the focus had switched to immediate care and triage of the pandemic. “For that month and a half period, if it didn’t have something to do with the COVID-19 response, clinics didn’t really have time to discuss, which is understandable,” said Rose. “We have taken the approach to support where we can and help clinics purchase essential equipment that they need right now to help mitigate the problem.”

Rose said the main challenge of serving customers in the new environment dealt with enhanced screening protocols. Rose said he simply followed safe protocols and stayed available to his clinics to offer help and support wherever he could. “Clinics have been extremely responsive and appreciative knowing that they continue to have support from the makers of some of their most important diagnostic equipment. I think this has helped show that Hillrom isn’t just a company out for the almighty dollar; that we are truly interested in making a difference in our communities and to do the right thing in this troubling time!” Rose’s biggest takeaway from the pandemic is how quickly the “norm” can change. “You need to keep a cool head and roll with the reality that you’re facing. If we all just slow down and look at the big picture, I think we can collectively make good decisions and turn things around quicker than some in the TV media give us credit for.” www.repertoiremag.com

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COVID-19: The industry responds Quidel: Significant ramp up, significant contribution to the fight against COVID-19

The challenge was monumental,

and crucial, to the frontline caregivers battling COVID-19. Almost overnight, demand for Quidel’s SARs COV-2 assays skyrocketed as hospital labs scrambled to have the appropriate testing in place at their facilities. Quidel responded by adding a significant volume of SARs COV-2 assays across the United States, and 32

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Quidel’s supply chain went from 0 to 1 million tests produced in the first 30 days, and then to 1 million per week going forward.

did so in a significantly short window of time.

Working around the clock Getting in a position to ship out the SARs COV-2 molecular tests first involved a combination of studies and approvals, said Mike Abney, senior vice president of distribution, Quidel. “We had to perform

COVID-19: The industry responds the quickest set of studies that we’ve ever attempted,” said Abney. “And we had work with the FDA to gain EUA approval with a highly accurate assay.” Then came the massive ramp up in production. Quidel’s supply chain went from 0 to 1 million tests produced in the first 30 days, and then to 1 million per week going forward, Abney said. “We also enlisted Cardinal to

“ This has been a big challenge for all diagnostic test manufacturers in 2020, but was especially important for Quidel because we aim to provide everything the customer needs to perform the test in every kit we ship out, swabs and transport media included.” – Mike Abney, senior vice president of distribution, Quidel

pleased with. This will remain an issue for our industry in some form for the rest of the year.” The project turned out to be the largest ever tackled at Quidel from a demand perspective, said Abney. “The first quarter of 2020 completed a record U.S. respiratory season, and the COVID-19 pandemic started while Influenza A was still at its peak. While our teams were in the middle of working overtime and weekends to meet the highest demand ever for our line of flu assays, we threw this project at them with the shortest timeline imaginable.” Quidel’s Jon Dailey, associate director, Supply Chain; Nate Chapman, associate director, Molecular Manufacturing; and Ron Lollar, senior director, Clinical, Regulatory & Scientific Affairs worked around the clock to launch, secure the supply chain, and agree with the regulatory agencies for the Lyra SARs COV-2 assay. Due to the work of these three individuals and their teams, Quidel took the brand over the 1 million test mark in less than 30 days. “Every team at Quidel has people that have been working around the clock, seven days a week for the last couple of months,” said Abney. “In some cases the entire team has been doing so. Outside of the essential teams to manufacture the product, we had to do a lot of this on the phone and through video conference, which we had to adapt to quickly. We’re used to getting in a room in San Diego face to face and hashing things out. Many people on the team have commented ‘this is the hardest I’ve ever worked,’ but it’s been thrilling and motivating and we’re all happy to be a part of it.”

help us with distribution, and to inform the hospital laboratory market about the assay and to pre-qualify customers who needed tests. So the last step was getting all of the item details and pricing set up in two systems.” The most unique challenge involved the increase of Quidel’s Lessons learned buying level on swabs, and transport The most obvious lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic? We have all learned media by 10-20 times the normal “you can’t be too ready for the unexpected,” said Abney. “Our CEO, Doug rate. “This has been a big challenge Bryant, pushed us to hire a few more talented people than we thought for all diagnostic test manufacturers we needed, and to beef up manufacturing capacity beyond the level we in 2020, but was especially important thought we needed, and suddenly we required all of it and more to answer for Quidel because we aim to prothe call to produce more tests for the pandemic.” vide everything the customer needs Also, the value of Quidel’s distribution partnerships has never been to perform the test in every kit we higher than it is today, Abney said. “We could not achieve the level of cusship out, swabs and transport media tomer communication and logistics required to execute what we are trying included,” said Abney. “The fact that to accomplish over the next year without them.” we have been able to hold up against that standard thus far during the pandemic is something that we are very 34

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TRENDS

Infectious disease expert:

Infection preventionists are “essential” to the COVID-19 response Almost overnight, infection disease experts in the United States went from obscurity to sought after sources. In

some cases, such as Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, they’ve become household names.

So too, has the spotlight shifted at IDNs and hospitals on the role of infection preventionist. Keith Kaye MD, professor of medicine, division of Infectious Diseases, University of Michigan Medical School, and past president of Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, said in the fight against COVID-19, infection preventionists, or “IPs” are involved in all essential components for preparation and response. They are involved in key decision making and planning with regards to issues ranging from PPE supply and use, methods to perform urgent surgery and procedures safely, and when necessary, helping to optimize infection control in field hospitals and temporary structures built to manage overflow of COVID patients. “They are also very important with regards to helping with the messaging to patients, the public and healthcare workers.”

Infection prevention in hot spots For many hospitals and health systems within what are considered hotspots for COVID-19 cases, maintaining proper infection prevention amid a crisis is undoubtedly a challenge. “We are not working in a controlled environment – and in many cases, we have to make important decisions based on little data and rapidly emerging science,” he said. The basics of IP, and adherence to those basics, remain critically important. Examples of critical IP basics include hand hygiene, appropriate use of airborne,

droplet and contact precautions, and making certain that healthcare workers are aware of how to don and doff protective equipment appropriately and safely. “It is also important for IPs to work with hospital leadership to help deliver consistent and clear messaging to healthcare workers and patients. With social media and the internet many ‘urban health legends’ can rapidly emerge and it is important to message clearly and consistently.”

Learning, and looking ahead Our healthcare system will need to be less reliant on single use infection prevention items (like n95 masks) in the future, Kaye said. “We will need to have reprocessing alternatives clearly worked out. Hospitals will also have to consider stockpiling more PPE and avoid ‘just in time’ ordering of supplies.” We also are too reliant on China for many of medical supplies, “and when they are dealing with their own pandemic issues, our supply chain can be hugely impacted.” Kaye said as much as we tried to learn and prepare after SARS and H1N1, we clearly were not prepared for this pandemic. “We have faced critical challenges with regards to PPE supply, ventilator availability, surge capacity of hospitals, and testing methodologies and supplies. Also, public health in some areas was completely overwhelmed even in the early stages of the pandemic – we need to commit to a stronger public health infrastructure as a country moving forward.” www.repertoiremag.com

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TRENDS

Telemedicine and the sales rep By Mark Thill

It’s clear that COVID-19 has accelerated the adoption of telemedicine by physicians and their patients. But will it

last? If so, how will it affect physician practices? What impact will it have on the types and volume of medical products and equipment they need?

As with just about anything COVID-19-related, no one knows for sure. That said, medical sales reps should probably prepare themselves to change the way they sell, and even the things they sell, according to those with whom Repertoire spoke. But they don’t necessarily have to anticipate doing less selling than before.

The evidence Already before the pandemic, virtual office visits were on the rise. In February 2020, for example, the American Medical Association reported that physician adoption of televisits doubled from 14% in 2016 to 28% in 2019.

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Then came COVID-19. In April, Merritt Hawkins – a healthcare search and consulting firm – reported that almost one half of approximately 840 physicians surveyed between April 11 and April 15 reported seeing patients via telemedicine. The firm contrasted that result with The Physicians Foundation’s 2018 Survey of America’s Physicians, also conducted by Merritt Hawkins, which indicated that two years earlier, only 18% of physicians were treating patients through telemedicine. “The emergence of the virus has clearly accelerated the use of technological platforms used to treat patients remotely,” noted the company in its most recent report.

Signs of increasing usage were widely reported during the pandemic. For example, NYU Langone Health, an academic health system in New York City, reported that between March 2 and April 14, telemedicine visits increased from 369.1 daily to 866.8 daily (135% increase) in urgent care, and from 94.7 daily to 4,209.3 (4,345% increase) in non-urgent care. NYU Langone Health comprises four hospitals and more than 500 ambulatory locations, and 8,077 healthcare providers. “From Henry Schein’s vantage point, we’re seeing an uptick in the adoption of telemedicine by entire health systems, as well as solo practitioners, urgent cares, and ER departments,” says Michael Casamassa, vice president of solutions and planning, Henry Schein Medical. Greg Dean, vice president, technology and services, McKesson Medical-Surgical, points out that “COVID-19 has driven – and the relaxed regulations have allowed – many more providers and patients to use telehealth. Only time will tell, but the current general feeling is this will advance telehealth.”

practitioners who could furnish Medicare telehealth services, including physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech language pathologists.

After COVID-19 Some of these waivers may expire when the public health emergency has ended. But what happens after that? “Providers who were on the fence prior to COVID19 are looking for a more robust solution to fit the changing needs of their practice,” says Dean. “Others will retreat after the pandemic. There is a basic wait-and-see attitude concerning which regulation and reimbursement changes remain in place post-COVID-19. “The federal government has invested greatly in telehealth during the crisis and paved the way for future adoption. Looking five years or more down the road, we may see virtual care integrated into the workflow for providers as part of specialist consults, follow-up and monitoring.” But telemedicine won’t replace all in-person visits, he says. In fact, quite the opposite. “As providers learn how to leverage this tool and balance their patients, it may grow in-person visits. By directing patients who do not need an office visit to telehealth, a provider has time to see more of the critical patients – reducing wait times to get an appointment. Telehealth, or virtual care, also makes it easier to follow up with patients – these are often missed visits. And, with the ability to connect easily to a provider, it may reverse the trend and reconnect patients to their primary care provider.”

‘ By understanding the impact telehealth will have on the traditional delivery models of healthcare, distributors will be better positioned to expand their portfolios and support their customers with new solutions.’ The government responds In response to the increased demand for virtual visits during the pandemic, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services broadened access to Medicare telehealth services. Effective March 6, beneficiaries could receive a wider range of services from doctors without visiting a healthcare facility. (Prior to this, Medicare would only pay for telehealth on a limited based, when the person receiving the service was in a designated rural area, and when they visited a clinic, hospital or other medical facility.) On April 30, CMS waived the video requirement for interactive conferences, thus allowing Medicare beneficiaries to use audio-only telephone to receive services. In addition, CMS waived limitations on the types of clinical

Telemedicine alone isn’t primary care Steven Waldren, M.D., vice president and chief medical informatics officer for the American Academy of Family Physicians, predicts a significant increase in the utilization of telemedicine in the years ahead. “That assumes that reimbursement for telehealth remains post-publichealth emergency and we continue the move toward value-based payment.” But stand-up “virtual primary care” options are not the answer, he says. That’s because the cost-effectiveness and high quality of primary care rest on four things: contact, continuity, coordination and comprehensive care. A virtual-only model could deliver first contact, but not the other three. “That is not primary care.” www.repertoiremag.com

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TRENDS Stand-alone telehealth presents some questions insofar as diagnostics are concerned, adds Walgren. “Broad adoption of telehealth could create a significant market for patient-administered testing, particularly if services similar to UberEats and DoorDash deliver testing supplies quickly,” he says. “But without the option to step up a virtual visit to in-person, it may drive the utilization of more diagnostics/point-of-care testing and more referrals to subspecialties. “If a telehealth provider can only deliver care virtually, they may decide to do more testing than a physician who has the option to see the patient in person.”

answer. However, clinical necessity should and has to be a key driver in making these decisions. “The severity of the condition and ability to move quickly from diagnosis to treatment will likely be key factors in determining these protocols. Providers are now being asked to inform new scheduling protocols that triage patients based on clinical guidelines and pathways for either an in-person visit or a virtual one. Key to success will be the physicians and staff working together to come up with models that are easy to implement and sustain. “It will be important for providers and the clinical staff to work together to carefully construct questionnaires to identify which visits qualify for an inoffice appointment versus virtual care. Central to all of this is ensuring patient comfort, safety and wellbeing.” Practices must also consider that following the pandemic, patients may be skittish about seeking on-site care due to concerns of potential virus transmission, adds Smedley. “Many patients will opt for convenience and safety, which means they may choose not to visit a provider in-person if they can avoid it.” Even without post-COVID-19 concerns about virus transmission, however, societal trends point toward a greater acceptance of telemedicine, he says. “We’ve already seen a rapid shift in patient values where, oftentimes, their preference for a virtual visit drives how they choose to interact with a practice. … Furthermore, due to the economic impacts of COVID-19, such as unemployment and the potential for lost or reduced wages, people are going to be more selective about when they choose to see a healthcare provider.” The proliferation of high-deductible health plans over the last decade has already made people more selective about seeing a healthcare provider. “There will be a downshift in in-person visits, and health systems will have to reevaluate both the use of the physical space as well as care delivery models if volumes don’t return,” says Smedley.

‘ With more visits shifting to virtual care, health systems and medical groups are going to need to be creative and proactive to mitigate declining volumes for labs, X-rays, point-of-care testing and other procedures that are often administered during an appointment.’ What’s more, not all issues can be addressed via virtual technology, such as administering vaccines or palpating a patient’s abdomen, says Waldren. “However, telehealth and telemedicine technology can facilitate distanced communication between patient and physician on qualitative questions and discussion.” And although some patients might opt to substitute telehealth for at least some office visits, others may end up having a very similar number of in-person visits, he says. Those with chronic conditions, for example, might use telemedicine to engage more intensively with their physician and the care plan between in-person visits.

Protocols needed for virtual care Growing acceptance of telemedicine may force providers to take a closer look at which visits lend themselves to virtual appointments, and which ones demand face-toface visits, says Chris Smedley, vice president of physician enterprise solutions for Premier. “This is such a critical question that medical groups across the country are contemplating, and there is no perfect 38

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Convenience and safety Mike Casamassa of Henry Schein believes that the adoption of telemedicine post-COVID-19 depends on many variables, including how quickly states reopen, how quickly clinicians get back to work, and how fast treatments or a vaccine are available.

But patients value convenience and safety and will likely demand telehealth where and when it is appropriate, such as for low-acuity conditions like minor scrapes, bumps and bruises, and respiratory illness, he adds. Furthermore, as technology advances, the use of telehealth may expand to dental, ophthalmology, and remote patient monitoring, specifically, for high-acuity, at-risk patients with two or more chronic diseases. Behavioral health issues are also appropriate for telehealth. “Additionally, the patient intake process of telehealth, which is automated and touchless, will likely cross over to all physical visits,” he adds. “If the collection of information prior to a virtual visit can be done in an automated and touchless manner, we can expect physical visits to be conducted the same, and more candidly, demanded by patients.”

Supply chain ramifications By understanding the impact telehealth will have on the traditional delivery models of healthcare, distributors will be better positioned to expand their portfolios and support their customers with new solutions, says Casamassa. Henry Schein did just that years ago by partnering with telediagnostic company Medpod Inc., he points out. Last summer, the distributor announced the availability of Medpod MobileDoc 2, and entered in a new agreement with Uber Health, which enables healthcare professionals to deliver telediagnostic examinations in non-traditional care settings, including the home or workplace. McKesson Medical-Surgical’s Greg Dean believes that the growing usage of telemedicine could lead to more diagnostic testing. “Being able to connect quickly with a patient through telehealth or remote monitoring, doctors can initiate more timely visits for needed care and testing,” he says. “It may also drive the development for more home testing.” As for medical supplies, telemedicine may drive down the demand for some, but increase the demand for others, as the complexity of visits changes, he adds. Says Premier’s Smedley, even if telemedicine leads to a dip in office visits, physician practices will always need personal protective equipment. “In many cases, organizations will seek alternative strategies to offset potential supply shortages through sterilization, conservation and reuse practices where applicable.” In addition, because providers had to ramp up their telemedicine services so rapidly during the pandemic, they may reevaluate their longer-term strategy with these tools and solutions, he adds.

Physician preference “We won’t fully understand the long-term impact of virtual care on providers for some time,” says Smedley. “Some clinicians love providing care through telemedicine portals, while for others it exacerbates the symptoms of burnout because of the perceived distance from their patients and the lack of connection. “As health systems adopt care delivery models to understand what patients need, they will also have to account for the effect on their clinicians and doctors. They’ll need to strategically attend to those clinicians and physicians who may gravitate toward virtual care versus those who prefer providing care in an office setting. “There will be an economic impact on ancillary revenue, although it’s unclear today the degree to which these services will change,” he adds. “With more visits shifting to virtual care, health systems and medical groups are going to need to be creative and proactive to mitigate declining volumes for labs, X-rays, point-ofcare testing and other procedures that are often administered during an appointment.

“Coming out of the pandemic, there is a sense of urgency to recoup lost visits and ancillary revenue. In the fee-for-service model, volume is an important leading indicator relative to revenue. The pandemic has spotlighted how value-based care models can help stabilize providers’ revenue compared to volume-based payment models. “This may provide a tipping point in order to further motivate medical groups to participate in more risk-based contracting efforts.” www.repertoiremag.com

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July 2020

TRENDS

Resuming elective surgeries: A roadmap In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the U.S. Surgeon

General and many medical specialties recommended interim cancelation of elective surgical procedures.

However, “when the first wave of this pandemic is behind us, the pent-up patient demand for surgical and procedural care may be immense, and health care organizations, physicians and nurses must be prepared to meet this demand,” The American College of Surgeons, American Society of Anesthesiologists, Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, American Hospital Association said a joint statement. Facility readiness to resume elective surgery will vary by geographic location. In “Roadmap for Resuming Elective Surgery after COVID-19 Pandemic,” the organizations created a list of principles and considerations to guide physicians, nurses and local facilities in their resumption of care in operating rooms and all procedural areas.

leadership to develop a prioritization strategy appropriate to the immediate patient needs. 5. P ost-COVID-19 Issues for the Five Phases of Surgical Care Principle: Facilities should adopt policies addressing care issues specific to COVID-19 and the postponement of surgical scheduling.

1. Timing for Reopening of Elective Surgery Principle: There should be a sustained reduction in the rate of new COVID-19 cases in the relevant geographic area for at least 14 days, and the facility shall have appropriate number of intensive care unit (ICU) and non-ICU beds, personal protective equipment (PPE), ventilators and trained staff to treat all non-elective patients without resorting to a crisis standard of care. 2. COVID-19 Testing Within a Facility Principle: Facilities should use available testing to protect staff and patient safety whenever possible and should implement a policy addressing requirements and frequency for patient and staff testing. 3. Personal Protective Equipment Principle: Facilities should not resume elective surgical procedures until they have adequate PPE and medical surgical supplies appropriate to the number and type of procedures to be performed. 4. Case Prioritization and Scheduling Principle: Facilities should establish a prioritization policy committee consisting of surgery, anesthesia and nursing 40

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6. Collection and Management of Data Principle: Facilities should reevaluate and reassess policies and procedures frequently, based on COVID-19 related data, resources, testing and other clinical information. 7. C OVID-Related Safety and Risk Mitigation Surrounding Second Wave Principle: Facilities should have and implement a social distancing policy for staff, patients and patient visitors in non-restricted areas in the facility which meets then-current local and national recommendations for community isolation practices.

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TRENDS

Counting the Cost A recent AHA report assessed the financial impact of COVID-19 on the nation’s hospitals and health systems Fighting COVID-19 has taken a toll on the nation’s hospitals, especially financially, according to a report released

in May by the American Hospital Association. In the report, the AHA estimated that the financial impact to hospitals and health systems from COVID-19 expenses and revenue losses over the four-month period from March 1 and June 30 totals $202.6 billion, with losses averaging over $50.7 billion per month.

The estimate includes the costs of COVID-19 hospitalizations, canceled and foregone services, purchasing needed personal protective equipment and providing additional support to hospital workers. “America’s hospitals and health systems have stepped up in heroic and unprecedented ways to meet the challenges caused by COVID-19,” said AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack. “However, the fight against this virus has created the greatest financial crisis in 42

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history for hospitals and health systems. While we appreciate the support and resources from Congress and the Administration, many hospitals are still on the brink. We need further support and resources to ensure that we can continue to deliver the critical care that our patients and communities are depending on while also ensuring that we are prepared for the continuing challenges we face from this pandemic as well as other potential emergencies.”

These challenges have created historic financial pressures for America’s hospitals and health systems, according to the AHA. Hospitals have cancelled non-emergency procedures, and many Americans are postponing care as they shelter in place to stop the spread of the virus. “Treatment for COVID-19 has created incredible demand for certain medical equipment and supplies as the virus has disrupted supply chains, increasing the costs that hospitals face to treat COVID-19 patients,” the AHA said. “At the same time, COVID-19 has led to unprecedented job losses, giving way to a rise in the number of uninsured. And while doctors, nurses, and other health care workers have met the COVID19 challenge with heroic efforts, many hospitals and health systems, especially those located in hotspot areas of the pandemic, are supporting them by providing essentials like child care, transportation, and in some cases, housing.”

hospitals stand to lose approximately $161.4 billion in revenue over a period of four months, from March to June 2020. This includes cancelled surgeries, various levels of cancelled non-elective surgeries and outpatient treatment, and reduced emergency department services.

Additional costs associated with purchasing needed PPE The AHA estimates the non-treatment costs for hospitals and health systems to be $2.4 billion over a period of four months, from March to June 2020, or roughly $600 million per month. Demand for equipment and supplies, such as PPE, has increased as a result of the COVID19 pandemic. “Hospitals have incurred additional costs as they struggle to acquire additional supplies to meet the needs of their patients and staff,” the AHA said. “Moreover, current guidelines require all hospital workers to wear some PPE, regardless of whether they are in direct contact with COVID-19 patients. These guidelines increase the need and expense for PPE relative to normal operations.”

“ America’s hospitals and health systems have stepped up in heroic and unprecedented ways to meet the challenges caused by COVID-19. However, the fight against this virus has created the greatest financial crisis in history for hospitals and health systems.”

Costs of additional support some hospitals are providing to their front-line workers

The AHA estimates the cost of support for front-line hospital workers in COVID-19 hotspots to be $2.2 billion through the end of June, or just under $550 million per month. This includes the costs of providing – AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack child care, housing, transportation, and medical screening and treatment for COVID-19 for front-line workers. This estimate could increase as more outbreaks The following are findings of the AHA report. of COVID-19 occur, or if the policy decision was made Net financial impact of COVID-19 hospitalizations to extend these benefits to all health care workers during The AHA estimates the net financial impact of COVIDthe pandemic. 19 hospitalizations over a four-month period will be $36.6 Other costs that hospitals and health systems face billion. “In other words, the nation’s hospitals and health include drug shortage costs, wage and labor costs, nonsystems will collectively lose $36.6 billion, including payPPE medical supplies and equipment costs and capiments for COVID-19 patients, from March to June 2020 tal costs. “The totality of these costs combined with treating COVID-19 patients alone.” the uncertainty of the pandemic’s duration is certain to imperil hospital finances,” the AHA said.

Total revenue losses from cancelled surgeries and other services The AHA estimates that, as a result of cancelled hospital services due to the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. nonfederal

To read the full report, visit: www.aha.org/system/files/ media/file/2020/05/aha-covid19-financial-impact-0520FINAL.pdf. www.repertoiremag.com

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July 2020

SALES

Warming Up 12 ways to stay motivated and beat the odds through the summer sales slump By Sandler Systems, Inc.

Avoiding the summer slowdown is critical to your business’ success. So is a systematized, methodical approach

to sales, especially in this “new normal.” Summertime is traditionally a difficult time for salespeople. Vacation time can make it challenging to get in touch with decision-makers. School and family schedules and the distractions of warm-weather activities are other challenges. This year, resolve not to fall into the summer slump with these 12 tips for staying motivated, creating your own opportunities and keeping the income flowing.

1. Set monthly goals with weekly accountability. Since time frames get stretched out during the warm summer months, use the time to set long-term goals and a plan for accomplishing them. Revisit your goals weekly to check on your progress.

and focus on your physical and mental health so you can go into the fall at full speed. Read industry publications, study, practice, research, work with your coach, or select an accountability partner. For tips on finding great resources, ask SalesTips@repertoiremag.com.

2. Work on goal time, not clock time. Schedules tend to change this time of year, which can affect your workday. So work accordingly. Allow for some flexibility in your schedule during these months and focus on accomplishing tasks rather than simply filling the hours from 8 to 5.

4. U se LinkedIn InMail to connect with vacationing prospects. When high-level executives go on summer vacation, they take their social media accounts with them on their smartphones and check in regularly. LinkedIn InMail (requires a Premium account) is great for staying in touch, since a LinkedIn message is read about ten times more often than a traditional email. Be sure to keep your message brief and focused on a topic of genuine mutual benefit. (Remember, the recipient will likely be reading your message on a tiny screen.)

3. Use the extra daylight to invest in yourself. You spend nine months a year hyper focused on hitting sales goals. When summer comes, take the longer days 44

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5. Plan ahead and use Up-Front Contracts to work around vacation schedules, both yours and your prospect’s. Up-Front Contracts (UFC) – a foundational Sandler ® principle – are verbal agreements between you and your prospect. They’re designed to set expectations and lay out exactly what happens next in the sales process. If you’re going on vacation, use a UFC to delay major decisions during this window of time. Alternately, you can specify that the process can and should move ahead while you and/or your prospect vacation by naming replacements tasked with driving the process forward. 6. U se the extra time to work on your “30-second commercial” or hone your selling system. Remember, the summer is a good time for picking up an extra Sandler training class. Also use this time to craft a powerful “30-second commercial.” Have it polished and ready for any encounter with a prospect, whether it’s in an elevator, at a networking event or cocktail party. Make sure it tells them exactly what you do and answers an important question: “Who is this person and how are they relevant to my business?” 7. A utomate email blasts and social media to stay in touch with prospects while you’re away. Create email blasts on topics of interest to your prospects and automate them so that they get sent out while you’re away. You can also get attention by trading your run-of-the-mill, out-of-office email notice for one that communicates your “30-second commercial” or tells an interesting story about what you do. Finally, automate content for social media to post at optimal times with a tool such as Hootsuite. 8. U se the extra time to connect with referral partners. Referrals are the hottest kind of lead since somebody else has already prequalified them. Research says that sales based on referrals are eight to ten times more likely to close than sales based on other leads. So use the summer to build relationships with existing clients who have the power to refer you all year long.

9. Run a “summer motivation” contest with yourself or your team. Help your team stay motivated by offering sales incentives such as a weekend getaway or a meal at a favorite upscale restaurant. You can even do this for yourself with a promise that if you hit your sales numbers, you can buy a new TV, for example. Make sure to have somebody such as a spouse or coworker hold you accountable. 10. Create marketing content that makes your business look good. Use this time to put together a free talk or seminar. Write a white paper and post it online to establish yourself as an industry thought leader. Redo your brochure. Clean up your LinkedIn and other social media profiles.

Research says that sales based on referrals are eight to ten times more likely to close than sales based on other leads.

11. Pay attention to the bookkeeping side of your business. Export contacts from your emails into your BCM. Do some spring-cleaning on your pipeline. Follow the Sandler rule, “Close the sale or close the file” by officially closing the file on leads that have grown cold.

12. Send industry-related articles to your prospects. Step up your reading of industry publications. Use an interesting article to make a first contact or reconnect with a prospect by sharing it with a “this made me think of your business” sentiment. Articles can be shared with a single click, or can even be done offline with a handwritten note accompanied by the physical article or a book you’ve read and want to pass on. Ready to power through the summer? Send your questions, comments and tips about improving Sales Development in your industry with a proven, systematic approach to selling to SalesTips@repertoiremag.com.

About Sandler Training: With over 250 local training centers around the globe, Sandler is the worldwide leader for sales, management, and customer service training. We help individuals and teams from Fortune 500 companies to independent producers dramatically improve sales, while reducing operational and leadership friction. ©Sandler Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. www.repertoiremag.com

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July 2020

HEALTHY REPS

Health news and notes Staying at home helped contain pandemic to keep us healthy as a society, but it also had a huge impact on indi-

vidual health – presenting both some unique challenges and solutions.

Were you able to take the time to start eating healthier, exercising, and focusing on your own personal health and are now dreading that getting back into your pre-plague routine will wipe out any progress you made? Or were you like the other half of us who maybe picked up some less-than-healthy habits over the past couple of months? Either way, it’s never been a easier to start those good habits, since pretty much any good habit you could do while you were sheltering in place, you can also do while on the road!

Staying in shape … at home and away!

Spending so much time at home put us in closer proximity to our pantries full of snacks. And with the stress of uncertainty and boredom that comes from having fewer outlets for our energy, many people got some relief by eating all day. By the middle of March, popcorn sales rose almost 48%, pretzel sales were up 47% and potato chip sales rose 30% compared to the same period last year, Bloomberg reported.

With all of the gyms being closed, athletically minded people found new ways to keep moving (and help their friends and family get in shape and maintain their sanity). As a result, the internet is now positively bursting with fitness videos, blogs, and other content that will help you stay in shape in just a few minutes a day, without needing to any fancy equipment or steep gym fees. For reps, travel-heavy schedules can make it tough to get into a healthy exercise routine thanks to all the time spent away from your local exercise facility – or just simply from not having the energy or time it takes to actually work up the motivation to get down to the gym. But getting back to work doesn’t have to throw you off your game! Whether through 15-minute workouts, group yoga over video-chat, aerobic dancing, or anything in between, if you could find a way to get fit from your living room, you can definitely keep those habits alive right from the comfort of your hotel room. 46

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Feeding the machine Spending so much time at home put us in closer proximity to our pantries full of snacks. And with the stress of uncertainty and boredom that comes from having fewer outlets for our energy, many people got some relief by eating all day. By the middle of March, popcorn sales rose almost 48%, pretzel sales were up 47% and potato chip sales rose 30% compared to the same period last year, Bloomberg reported. On the flip side, with restaurants being closed, many of us had to get a crash course in cooking for ourselves. For many people this was good for both their bodies and wallets, since food prepared at home is generally healthier than what you find at restaurants. Many experts are optimistic that the break from frequent restaurant-eating could be positive when it comes to nutrition, and are hopeful that we may come out of this healthier than before.

STREAMLINING HEALTHCARE

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THE PATH FORWARD

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Understand COVID-19’s long-term impact on the healthcare supply chain Get insights from providers as they gear up for a potential next wave Prepare for increased demand as elective procedures return Attend virtual business meetings with your key partners

Get a forecast for the coming economic recovery from Alan Beaulieu

Transform your business with a management system called EOS®, introduced in the popular business book Traction – presented by Tom Bouwer

QUICK BYTES Editor’s note: Technology is playing an increasing role in the day-to-day business of sales reps. In this department, Repertoire will profile the latest developments in software and gadgets that reps can use for work and play.

Technology news COVID-19 pandemic brings digital transformation to the forefront Necessity is the mother of invention and the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the world’s digital transformation. Retailers shuttering their brick-and-mortar doors lead to better e-commerce applications that could remake online shopping. Meeting software enables sales professionals to meet with customers remotely. SiliconANGLE, a data driven digital media platform, says Forrester Research Inc. is reporting on hot technology areas that have emerged during the COVID-19 crisis, including four key categories that will receive significant investment: 1. Risk/crisis management related to managing businesses, employees, suppliers and partners; 2. Customer experience technologies such as chatbots, customer feedback systems and contact centers; 48

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3. Health and safety technologies such as contact tracing and surveillance; and 4. Employee experience and human capital management tools such as content platforms, contract lifestyle management video conferencing and human capital management.

Kindle, Echo creators work on COVID-19 testing technology Lab126 hardware group, best known for creating its Kindle e-readers, Fire tablets and Echo smart speakers, has been enlisted by Amazon to build out its own COVID-19 testing capabilities. GeekWire says Amazon is seeking new Lab126 mechanical design engineers to investigate and introduce new technology and methodology to enhance quality and efficiency of COVID-19 testing. Lab126 is tasked with helping to keep Amazon’s fulfillment centers

safe for employees. This is part of a larger effort by Amazon to expand its COVID-19 testing capabilities. Amazon will spend an estimated $300 million on testing initiatives this quarter.

“Next Generation” TV technology launches in Las Vegas Nexstar Media Group, Sinclair Broadcast Group and E.W. Scripps have debuted “next-generation” broadcast technology on Las Vegas television stations, according to Deadline. The stations are fully equipped with ATSC 3.0 tools, which emulate the way internet and digital services are delivered. This opens up possibilities for a range of audio and video enhancements, including personalization and 5G applications. Previously, next-gen setups have been demonstrated and tested in the U.S. but rolled out permanently only in international markets. The Las Vegas launch followed more than a year of efforts involving the station groups, local staffers and BitPath (formerly Spectrum Co.), the firm pushing the development of new data broadcasting services. BitPath and Pearl TV, an industry consortium, are accelerating the rollout of “Next Gen” TV across the U.S.

Daimler, Platform Science building app-driven tech directly into new big rigs Daimler Trucks North America plans to install a single platform application into its new big rigs on the factory floor, according to The Wall Street Journal. This will take the technology clutter out of truck cabs, which have seen more and more technology ever since the first cab computer in 1988. Some trucks can have as many as 10 separate devices, tracking everything from location to the time drivers spend behind the wheel and how often they pump the brakes. The new, single platform software operates the truck maker’s touch screen, streaming data back to fleet managers and helping drivers manage the technology inside their big rigs. Platform Science is the transport startup behind the technology. The open platform allows trucking operators to add a customized mix of thirdparty software and connectivity services without having to install aftermarket hardware. It also enables the apps to talk to one another, pulling data from the back end.

Companies lean on freight tech to streamline supply chains during pandemic Do it Best Corp. (Fort Wayne, IN), a hardware supplier cooperative, sold over a 40-year supply of hand sanitizer in 10 weeks after the COVID-19 pandemic crushed the

U.S. Do it Best Corp. supplies more than 3,800 memberowned stores, lumber yards and industrial distributors from eight U.S. warehouses. Its sales in the first two weeks of May jumped by 36% to 68%, depending on location, from the same period in 2019. It set up hundreds of new delivery routes, secured additional trucks, split up loads and rerouted vehicles with the help of a logistics platform developed by Ryder System Inc., its dedicated trucking provider. The system connects freight shippers, carriers and receivers, and automatically updates delivery times for Do It Best’s member stores. The market for such tools is taking off as companies scramble to adjust their logistics operations for strained supply chains, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Using proprietary image generation algorithms through its Titan C-UAS solution, Citadel has developed discrimination classification models that help determine whether the signal detected is a real drone or a generated signal by the adversary trying to trick existing signal intelligence equipment. Citadel Defense combats adversarial spoofing tactics that seek to confuse security intelligence Citadel Defense (San Diego, CA), a counter-drone (C-UAS) technology company, has released new software incorporating deep-fake neural networks to defend against adversarial spoofing tactics. According to sUAS News – the business of drones, this capability helps U.S. and allied forces combat enemy tactics that attempt to confuse existing and security intelligence equipment. Using proprietary image generation algorithms through its Titan C-UAS solution, Citadel has developed discrimination classification models that help determine whether the signal detected is a real drone or a generated signal by the adversary trying to trick existing signal intelligence equipment. Citadel has trained more than 500 military and law enforcement operators on emerging adversarial threat tactics as the use of drones and surface-based robotic platforms proliferate on the battlefield. www.repertoiremag.com

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July 2020

WINDSHIELD TIME Chances are you spend a lot of time in your car. Here’s something that might help you appreciate your home-away-from-home a little more.

Automotive-related news

RVs a hit for summer travel

ʯ Chrysler Pacifica (“The Stow ‘n Go seats create

Americans looking to gain a little more control of their summer travels and vacations are going an old school route, according to CNET. Peer-to-peer RV rental company RVshare said recently bookings had increased 650%. The spread of COVID-19 has made air travel and public transportation unpopular options, while personal vehicles feel like more of a safe haven, according to the article. Other recent studies have shown travelers feel more comfortable in a personal vehicle where they can control the scenario, unlike shared transportation. In an effort to keep things more contained, those booking RVs aren’t looking to hit the road and park their vehicles in crowded areas. RVshare said its study found 93% of respondents want to avoid crowds, and 65% want to be surrounded by nature.

a ginormous flat surface ideal for settling in for a long night at the moving pictures”) ʯ Dodge Challenger (“The Challenger’s directly referential throwback body style feels like it retains the most of era-appropriate Greased Lightning charm”) ʯ Tesla Model X (“Tesla’s tall side windows and large windshield that stretches over the first and second rows combine to ensure you can see as much of the screen”) ʯ Rolls-Royce Cullinan (“While the Cullinan’s Viewing Suite is more likely intended for taking in, like, a polo match or something, it’s perfectly applicable here”).

Best cars to take to the drive-in

Family style food delivery

Grab the popcorn and your car keys. Cars.com came up with a list of vehicles (in no particular order or ranking) of six of the best cars to take to the drive-in: ʯ Volkswagen Atlas (“Beyond being able to comfortably load up as many as seven occupants for movie night in the Atlas’ elegantly understated cabin, if you opt for the SEL Premium Fender 12-speaker audio system) ʯ Ram 1500 (The 1500’s RamBox is drainable, “meaning you can fill that bad boy with ice to keep your candy bars and other movie treats cool”)

USA Today reported that Uber’s food delivery platform is launching a tool that lets families get more value and savings when placing meal orders at a time when more Americans are financially squeezed. The ride-hailing giant announced the new feature called “Family Style Meals.” It’s located in the Uber Eats app and features meals meant for sharing. Some participating restaurants will offer a curated menu that lists a combination of items offering value and savings, the company said. Others will focus primarily on larger portions that can feed multiple members of your family.

July 2020

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SMART SELLING

Savvy Selling 5 ideas for selling in a post-pandemic environment Looking into my crystal ball while I write this column in May, I see your healthcare customers getting back to non

COVID-related business. Physicians seeing patients in an actual exam room rather than via video stream. Hospitals performing elective surgeries. Nursing homes accepting patients for post-surgery rehab.

Hone your product knowledge on PPE That’s good news: pent-up demand for healthcare services is finally being met. But it and infection prevention products “N95” wasn’t an everyday word prior to COVIDisn’t going to be easy for any of us. Many of 19. Now these respirators are well known and in your provider customers have gone without revdemand. Know how they are different from reguenue for months. Much as they want to take care By Elizabeth lar masks, who needs them, and how they should of patients and getting their businesses back on Hilla, SVP, HIDA be used. The same goes for other critical products track, no one wants to risk creating a second – your customers will be depending on you to eduwave of the pandemic. cate them on the products they need to stay safe. HIDA offers Here are some suggestions for being a great partner helpful resources on the topic at HIDA.org/coronavirus. to your customers amid these challenges. Be sensitive to your customers’ financial situation A whopping 97% of physician practices have experienced a negative financial impact from COVID-19, according to a Medical Group Management Association survey. These When you get practices are reporting a 60% back in your average decrease in patient volume and a 55% avercustomer’s age drop in revenue. Under workplace, the circumstances, pitching make sure an expensive new piece of you can offer equipment may not only be something unsuccessful, but could even truly important make the customer view you – compassion. as insensitive. People are fragile right now; you need to muster all the professional empathy you can offer. Offer solutions that protect patients and staff, increase efficiency, or lower total costs.

Respect your customers’ safety concerns As healthcare practices reopen, you’ll likely see a range of new rules, such as asking visitors to wear a mask. Others may ask for evidence of a negative COVID-19 test. If the requirement is one you can comply with, do it, even if you don’t think that a mask or gloves are necessary. If the rule goes too far for you, offer to meet via phone or video conference.

Arm yourself with the answers to the most likely questions You’re going to face tough questions. Plan for those questions in advance; research and refine your responses. Be prepared for questions such as: ʯ Can you get us more PPE? ʯ Why isn’t X product available? ʯ What can we use as a substitute for X product that’s not available? ʯ How come I see X product available online, but you’re telling me it’s on back order? You may also hear from customers asking for additional credit terms to help them through their financial challenges.

Share learnings across healthcare settings Providers that have been closed during the pandemic may be struggling to figure out how to operate safely as they reopen. Study what other providers have done and be prepared to share best practices. For example, hospitals learned how to conserve their mask supply through usage rules and inventory control – share these ideas with your clinic or nursing home customers. Remember, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone’s psyche. When you get back in your customer’s workplace, make sure you can offer something truly important – compassion. www.repertoiremag.com

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July 2020

NEWS

Industry News Nearly 40% of Americans misused cleaning products trying to kill COVID-19, CDC finds The CDC has released results of a survey that identified important knowledge gaps in the safe use of cleaners and disinfectants among U.S. adults. According to the report, the largest gaps were found in knowledge about safe preparation of cleaning and disinfectant solutions and about storage of hand sanitizers out of the reach of children. Consistent with current guidance for daily cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched surfaces, a majority of respondents reported increased frequency of cleaning in the home. However, approximately 33% reported engaging in high-risk practices such as washing food products with bleach, applying household cleaning and disinfectant products to bare skin, and intentionally inhaling or ingesting cleaners or disinfectants.

NASA selects eight U.S. manufacturers for COVID-19 ventilator production NASAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has selected eight U.S. manufacturers to make a new ventilator designed for COVID-19 patients. The companies selected for licenses are Vacumed, Stark Industries, MVent, iButtonLink, Evo Design, DesignPlex Biomedical, ATRON Group and Pro-Dex. The companies were selected from more than 100 applications. Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally (VITAL), the prototype for the high-pressure ventilator, was developed by JPL engineers in 37 days with input from doctors and medical device manufacturers. It 52

July 2020

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uses one-seventh the parts of a traditional ventilator and relies on parts already available in supply chains.

Sekisui Diagnostics announces FDA clearance and CLIA Waiver of the OSOM Ultra Plus Flu A&B Test Sekisui Diagnostics received FDA clearance and CLIA Waiver of the OSOM Ultra Plus Flu A&B Test intended for the qualitative detection of influenza type A and type B nucleoprotein antigens directly from nasal or nasopharyngeal swab specimens from patients with signs and symptoms of respiratory infection. The test utilizes traditional lateral flow technology with performance near or exceeding sensitivity of other reader-based tests without using an instrument, the company says.

Approximately 33% reported engaging in highrisk practices such as washing food products with bleach, applying household cleaning and disinfectant products to bare skin, and intentionally inhaling or ingesting cleaners or disinfectants.

Beaumont Health, Summa Health call off $6.1B merger Beaumont Health is ending partnership plans with Summa Health (Akron, OH). The two organizations had been working over the last year to create a partnership under which Summa Health would have become a subsidiary of Beaumont. The proposed deal would have created a nonprofit system with 12 hospitals and $6.1 billion in annual revenue. They had signed a definitive agreement in December 2019, and later received all necessary state and federal regulatory approvals. The organizations are now finalizing details and next steps to end the planned partnership. The health systems cited the Pandemic as the main driver behind the ending of the merger.

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