Dubuque Times

Medline Industries, Inc. issued the following announcement on October 27.

Known for its diverse multicultural neighborhoods, beautiful beaches and lively arts, Miami-Dade County is also the home of the Jessie Trice Community Health System (JTCHS), the nation’s fifth Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and the first in Florida. Serving Miami-Dade County since 1967, JTCHS has grown from a clinic operating out of a single trailer to more than 50 locations across Miami-Dade County.

Today, JTCHS owns and operates 11 comprehensive primary care centers, a 40-bed women’s residential center for substance abuse, and clinics at two universities and 40 schools. Covering much of the continuum of care — from primary and pediatric care to campus health and addiction care — JTCHS needed a partner that could provide flexible solutions for their diverse procurement needs.

“Medline’s personal touch sets them apart,” said Kristal Benjamin, registered nurse and nurse manager at Jesse Trice Community Health Center. “Our Medline rep went to each of our locations and changed out our sharps containers one by one. When COVID-19 brought shortages of personal protective equipment and supplies, like needles, Medline immediately stepped up and enabled us to secure critical materials and maintained reserves for us at their local warehouse.”

Like many FQHCs, JTCHS faces numerous challenges managing its supply chain and containing costs. But unlike traditional health systems, any savings JTCHS can find enables the organization to reallocate funds in support of other community initiatives like food banks or school supplies for those in need.

“When I‘m ordering, approving orders and assisting our charge nurses with orders, I can see the financial difference Medline makes in our operations,” Benjamin continued. “The constant collaboration and dialog with Medline on our demand planning enables us to better manage costs, maintain critical supply levels and ultimately focus more on serving our patient’s needs.”

Managing Supplies More Efficiently

In community health, the ultimate goal is to take care of  an under-resourced population while providing high-quality, affordable care. Working with Medline, JTCHS can obtain the same high-quality supplies across the continuum of care at a competitive price.

“Community health centers provide many services to those in need, whether aging populations or people experiencing tough times. These facilities have a huge impact on our society and embody the age-old adage that a good society is measured by how it treats its most vulnerable members,” says Scott Gillespie, physician office sales at Medline. “From the start of our relationship, we have focused on how we can help Jesse Trice Community Health system operate more efficiently and cost-effectively so it can, in turn, provide better care and services within the community.”

Medline was able to find solutions allowing JTCHS to save money and improve product availability. Working with one of its many group purchasing organization (GPO) partners, Medline was able to connect JTCHS with a GPO contract that enabled the health system to dramatically improve pricing.

“Many FQHC’s are not aware of the significant benefits associated with working with a GPO,” Gillespie continued. “GPOs enable healthcare organizations to get tiered pricing on products and access pre-negotiated contracts which can greatly reduce costs.”

Medline was also able to provide JTCHS with supply chain and distribution services. Medline’s two robust distribution centers in Florida enable JTCHS to order and receive supplies within one day, ensuring quick access to products across the continuum of care. Medline is also able to deliver to each JTCHS location within the system, eliminating the need for internal supply chain management.

If you are interested in learning more about how Medline can help your Community Health Center, please visit us here.

Original source can be found here.