Strategic Marketplace Initiative (SMI) Announces Newest Members

Scituate, MA (October 9, 2006):  The Strategic Marketplace Initiative (SMI), a relatively new not-for-profit corporation that is tackling industry issues with collaborative teams comprised of all parties in the healthcare supply chain, proudly announces their newest members:

  • Catholic Health East, represented by Florence Doyle
  • Cooper University Hospital System, represented by Reginé Honoré
  • Bracco Diagnostics, represented by Denise Odenkirk
  • Lawson Software, represented by Keith Lohkamp & Steffan Haithcox
  • Medical Action Industries, Inc., represented by Manny Losada
  • SterilMed, Inc., represented by Mike Richardson

According to Florence Doyle, “Catholic Health East views participation in SMI as an opportunity to collaborate with other organizations in the healthcare industry that are committed to improving Supply Chain. The processes and systems that have served us for so long must be overhauled on a level of magnitude that is much greater than any one organization can achieve on its own. Participants in SMI are industry leaders that recognize that there is opportunity to revolutionize the way we do business, but they also realize that the journey will be evolutionary and that we all have a responsibility to understand and participate.”

Denise Odenkirk indicates that “The people who participate in SMI have dedicated themselves to reducing healthcare supply chain costs for providers, suppliers and distributors. This is why Bracco joined SMI. We share the same objective.”

Keith Lohkamp of Lawson adds, “Lawson is excited about joining SMI. SMI has done a great job of bringing together key members of the healthcare supply chain to tackle critical issues. By sharing our experience building and implementing supply chain software in healthcare, Lawson can help the group come up with innovative approaches that can be widely adopted within the industry.”

The reason that Medical Action Industries joined SMI, per Manny Losada, is that “SMI is a forum where senior integrated delivery network providers, suppliers and distributors turn toward each other to develop new standards, strategies and “implement” change to advance the future of healthcare delivery.”

"SMI provides a unique opportunity to not only gain a better understanding of the supply chain concerns and issues of some of the countries largest healthcare systems, but also the forum to work with them on supply chain improvements." - statement made by Mike Richardson

Several additional organizations are currently processing membership as well.

About SMI:

The Strategic Marketplace Initiative (SMI) is a not-for-profit corporation comprised of senior-level executives representing diverse disciplines from the healthcare supply chain. Membership includes executives from the country’s largest integrated delivery networks (IDNs) as well as healthcare manufacturers, distributors, IT companies and service providers. SMI members have joined together to drive operational efficiencies, and implement process improvement across the healthcare supply chain. 

SMI was formed to provide a venue where collaborative teams work together to address industry issues and implement best practices, shaping the future of the healthcare supply chain value stream. SMI acts as a change agent for healthcare, and introduces non-healthcare related best practices and technologies to the healthcare supply chain. SMI provides critical mass representing key industry stakeholders and decision makers within the healthcare supply chain. Through collaboration, tools and techniques are developed and shared that members are able to take back to their organizations and customize to meet their unique needs. SMI is dedicated to improving the supply chain and to that end, all findings, improvements, processes, and established best practices are shared with the entire healthcare marketplace. 

SMI Staff: Thomas Hughes is Executive Director of SMI. Tom is responsible for the overall operations of the organization, moderation of bi-annual Forums, and oversight of industry initiatives. Teri Gallagher serves as Administrative Director for SMI. She is responsible for the ongoing operations of the organization including functions relating to membership, financials, coordination of Forums, ongoing communications and office administration. Dennis Orthman is Initiative Project Manager for SMI, responsible for the ongoing support and coordination of SMI member-led initiatives, including research, analysis, and coordination of team activities. 

Visit SMI’s web site at smisupplychain.com for more information.