Sponsored by McKesson Medical-Surgical
A good distributor representative can guide even the most seasoned outpatient-lab professionals
Carolyn Blair has worked in a lab for about 40 years, first as a phlebotomist, then as a hematology supervisor in the hospital setting, and today as laboratory manager of the Diagnostic Clinic of Longview (Texas).
Charles Powell, M.D., meanwhile, has been practicing medicine for 19 years, including 16 years in the Army and Navy. Today, he is executive vice president of clinical operations for Healthcare Associates of Texas in Irving.
Despite all those combined years of experience, Blair and Powell still draw on the expertise and knowledge of their primary distributor – McKesson Medical-Surgical – to help keep their labs running efficiently.
Diagnostic Clinic of Longview
Founded more than 35 years ago, DCOL is a multispecialty physician group practice that includes 18 locations, more than 90 physicians and 30 mid-level providers. The majority of its lab work is performed in the central lab in Longview, but outlying locations have phlebotomy draw stations and perform point-of-care testing as needed. The lab performs more than 1 million tests per year.
“Evan comes by once a week,” says Blair, referring to McKesson Medical-Surgical Account Manager Evan Stanley. “My chemistry tech sends orders on Monday; Evan comes in on Wednesday, walks through the lab, and we let him know what is needed. Everything is delivered on Thursday.
“Rarely is it not here on Thursday,” she adds.
Stanley is quick to put Blair in touch with directors and techs from labs that may be using a piece of equipment in which she has an interest. “He is always telling me what’s out there, and he lets me be the judge,” she says. “He takes us to other labs and gives us time to talk to the techs, to ask questions, to see how they feel about it – and he doesn’t hover over us.” DCOL acquired its current chemistry analyzer – which Blair describes as “the best we’ve had in my 22 years here” – after visiting a user in Oklahoma.
Staffing is a challenge for DCOL, as it is for other labs, says Blair. Finding well-qualified people takes time and effort. Add to that the stress associated with running a lab today, with all the required regulations, and providing comprehensive training to the staff.
“That’s why, in the end, it’s important find a good rep like Evan,” she says. “He’s kind of old school; not many account managers come around once a week like he does. We really depend on him, and it takes a lot of stress off us, knowing we will receive what we ordered in a timely manner. Any time we have issues, I’ll ask him, ‘Have you heard of this before?’ or ‘Do you have a customer with this problem?’”
Stanley guides DCOL in choosing instruments. “That’s very important to us, because we want to keep our instruments for as long as possible” says Blair. “We want to make sure we’re making the best decision for our needs.” He also helps the lab identify reliable service options when needed. “When you run the volume of tests we do in a 12-hour period, fast and efficient service is very important. Evan helps us get any assistance we may need regardless of what brand equipment we purchased.”
Healthcare Associates of Texas
Healthcare Associates of Texas is on the move. Founded 26 years ago by two doctors and one office, HCAT now has 48 providers, and it intends to double that number by the end of 2018. This summer, HCAT will move into a new “mother ship,” a 95,000-square-foot facility providing primary care and specialist services, imaging, laboratory, nerve conduction, urodynamic and sleep studies, and more. Phase II of the construction project, set to begin later in 2018, will include a 60,000-square-foot facility housing an ambulatory surgery center and medical offices.
“We grew to three locations on our own dime,” says Powell. “Then we realized that, as doctors, we were OK businesspeople, but it was time to bring in some heavier guns,” in the form of private equity firm Webster Capital. “Our concept is to grow by acquisition and organic growth, and they will help us with both.”
Powell actually prefers the word “integration” to “acquisition” when speaking about new clinics. “We wouldn’t buy a practice if things weren’t already working,” he says. “We like to step in and adopt those things that are working well, and bring in solutions of our own that can improve operations.”
One of those “solutions” is McKesson Medical-Surgical Account Manager Jonathan Poulin, who began servicing HCAT five and a half years ago.
“As we have grown, McKesson has made sure that Jonathan is the representative for the new facilities,” says Powell. “He visits the locations, reviews their practices, including what lab tests they do, and works on standardizing supplies and equipment through HCAT, which gives us economy of scale.” He also helps HCAT decide which tests formerly done in the facility or sent out to a reference lab may be performed more efficiently at HCAT’s central lab. “Doctors love it,” says Powell, referring to the central lab. “Turnaround times are faster, they have more control over their panels, and it’s seamless for the patients.”
McKesson helps HCAT maintain what Powell describes as “that very fine balance” between too much inventory on the shelves, and shortages, which can jeopardize patient care. McKesson has also played a key role in helping HCAT upgrade its lab equipment. In July, for example, they helped HCAT implement the FilmArray system from BioFire, a molecular laboratory instrument that can identify multiple diseases in an hour. Its GI panel, for example, identifies 22 disease targets for bacterial, viral and parasitic gastroenteritis infections; its respiratory pathogen (RP) panel identifies 20 viral and bacterial respiratory pathogens.
“Not every patient needs that test, but using it in a responsible manner will improve patient care,” says Powell. “Having accurate and comprehensive test results in one hour enables physicians to immediately prescribe treatment protocols that target the specific infections, rather than administering a wide-spectrum antibiotic, which may not be necessary,” he says.
For a growing physician practice or health system, continuity in the supply chain is critical. Carolyn Blair and Charles Powell believe they have found it, with help from McKesson Medical-Surgical.