Good morning and welcome to the HDMA 2007 Annual Leadership Forum. This has been a remarkable year, and I am proud of the work HDMA has done to reach out across the supply chain to create new partnerships with manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies, as well as with allied trade associations.
We are working harder than ever before to develop effective public policies that will advance our shared, supply chain responsibility to preserve patient safety, create business efficiencies and ensure patient access to critical care.
This year, we have led proactive business, industry and technology initiatives that benefit our members and the healthcare system.
We have driven critical issues to the top of the healthcare agenda, and worked across the supply chain to enhance value.
Through our work on emergency preparedness, track-and-trace implementation and data management and data sharing, we are bringing together executives to tackle the challenging issues that require cooperation and coordination across the supply chain.
These alliances initiated by HDMA are leading to new possibilities for positive outcomes.
In working together, distributors are becoming more visible, and supply chain partners are learning more about the value being delivered every day by HDMA members. Distributors have a significant role in the marketplace, delivering products and services to nearly 144,000 customers, at a cost savings of $33.9 billion per year.
Providing more services to customers, while keeping costs controlled, is the essence of today’s distribution industry.
Before we started reaching out and working directly with manufacturer and pharmacy executives, most people were not aware of the value and efficiencies being delivered by HDMA member distributors.
But now, through these industry-wide partnerships, we have top-to-top forums to spread the word about distributors’ ability to deliver healthcare products and services reliably, cost-effectively and just in time -- both daily and in times of emergency.
I also believe that HDMA is providing added value to our distributor members by creating new opportunities for them to discuss key business issues directly with suppliers and customers.
By creating new partnerships and perspectives, such as Rx SafeTrack, Rx Response and the Data Management/Data Sharing initiative, HDMA members now have opportunities to discuss future-focused strategies and business changes with the Presidents and CEOs of leading pharmacy and manufacturing companies.
These executives are engaged because HDMA is the only organization focused on these transformational supply chain issues, and participation in these discussions is a key ROI delivered by HDMA.
Continuing these powerful conversations will be a focal point of this year’s meeting. We are providing:
· more hands-on, business education sessions;
· more international perspectives with our keynote speaker, Tony Blair; and
· more opportunities for trading partners to talk about the issues that will affect future outcomes.
I have seen a great deal of progress this year, but our work is just beginning. We have a tremendous mission, and this meeting is the place where we set the tone for the year ahead: A future based on action, new partnerships, new perspectives and progress.
Thank you.
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