Category: In the News

COVID-19 Ongoing response from HealthTrust Europe

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HealthTrust Europe is continually monitoring and responding to the everchanging landscape around the COVID-19 outbreak, and we take our role in this very seriously. We would like to share an update on the work we are undertaking to ensure that we are able to deliver for our customers.

The protection of our colleagues and the wider community is of the utmost importance to us; as such we have taken significant steps using advanced systems and processes to set our teams up to function remotely whilst continuing to carry out vital work and deliver a high standard of service to our members.

The COVID-19 outbreak is having a significant impact on the supply chain in certain product categories, however we are working closely with the supplier community to understand the position regarding the allocation of stock in order to minimise the impact on customers and will continue to monitor and keep you abreast of the situation.

In times of crisis, it is essential that the health sector can mobilise its resources, and we are working closely with partners to ensure this remains possible. In order to allow us to work to the best of our abilities to meet customer need, HealthTrust Europe has set up a number of COVID-19 task groups to work closely with suppliers on key areas across the sector.

HealthTrust Europe’s task groups include:

  • Laboratories
  • Medical capital equipment
  • Pharmacy
  • PPE Warehouse
  • Purchased Services
  • Respiratory

These groups have been designed to enable us to get a better understanding of viability of sources to ensure we are always striving to meet demand. The groups are also permitting us to identify new sources where necessary, to enable the continuation of effective clinical care.

Our task groups are meeting daily to ensure that we are agile and responsive to customer needs, whilst working hard to support wider efforts of the sector at this challenging time, ensuring the fulfilment and appropriate allocation of stocks.

HealthTrust Europe will continue to review the processes we have in place regularly to ensure we are addressing the challenges raised by the COVID-19 outbreak, in order to continue to be your trusted partner.

If any you have any questions regarding the ongoing COVID-19 situation, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our customer care team at 0845 887 5000 or customercare@htepg.com.

HealthTrust Europe selects Alzheimer’s Society as its 2020 charity

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HealthTrust Europe is delighted to announce Alzheimer’s Society, the UK’s leading dementia charity, as its 2020 chosen charity. Each year, a UK-based charity is selected and supported, as part of the company’s commitment to the care and improvement of human life. Employees then take part in fundraising activities in order to raise as much money as possible for the chosen charity. Last year, HealthTrust Europe raised an incredible £10,170 for Birmingham Mind, the UK’s leading mental health charity.

Currently an estimated 850,000 people live with Dementia in the UK – a figure set to rise to 1.6 million by 2040. In 2020 alone, more than 200,000 will develop the disease, roughly 1 every 3 minutes.

Dementia treatment can include round-the-clock care which can be incredibly expensive. The burden of paying for care too often falls on the sufferer and their families. Due to the significant costs of social care, family members often must act as unpaid carers. Unpaid carers who support someone with dementia saves the UK economy £13.9 million a year, indicating the level of crisis the UK faces in dementia care.
Despite there being no cure for the disease, dementia research is desperately underfunded: just £90 is spent per person living with the disease each year. Alzheimer’s Society is working hard to change this and has committed to spending at least £150 million over the next decade on dementia research.

Dale Robinson, HealthTrust Europe’s Chief Operating Officer, said:

“HealthTrust Europe has unanimously selected Alzheimer’s Society as our 2020 charity. Alzheimer’s Society does incredible work for a cause that is so close to all our hearts, and their continued commitment to changing people’s lives is an inspiration to us all.
HealthTrust Europe is, and continues to be committed to the care and improvement of human life. We hope that our fundraising efforts will help us work towards our mission whilst supporting the profound work of Alzheimer’s Society.
Our employees are excited to see how much we can raise for such a fantastic charity and cause. We hope that our fundraising can make a real difference to people’s lives.”

HealthTrust Europe will be organising and taking part in fundraising activities throughout the year, and the final amount raised will be announced in early 2021.

HealthTrust Europe – Coronavirus (COVID-19)

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Covid-19 is a new strain of coronavirus that was first detected in Wuhan City, China, in January 2020. As you will be aware, the landscape surrounding the Covid-19 outbreak is changing daily, so it is highly recommended to pay close attention to updates from the Department of Health and Social Care and the NHS.

At HealthTrust Europe, we take the safety and wellbeing of our staff, clients and suppliers very seriously, and are working with our community to uphold our rigorous safety standards at this time.

We recommend that individuals continue to adhere to the safety guidance and precautions put in place by Public Health England. Practical hygiene measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus remain focussed on promoting good hand and respiratory hygiene, such as:

  • Washing your hands regularly with soap and water and use alcohol-based sanitisers
  • Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve when you cough or sneeze
  • Disposing of tissues straightaway and washing hands with soap and water
  • Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth

If you do not have symptoms and are looking for general information on Covid-19, a free NHS helpline has been set up on 0800 028 2816. The helpline is open on Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 10.00pm and on Saturday and Sunday, 9.00am to 5.00pm.

Result! HealthTrust Europe exceeds £10,000 fundraising target for Mind in football rematch

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HealthTrust Europe (HTE) and supplier partner Altodigital faced each other in a rematch on December 17th following the latter’s win earlier this year in a charity football game between teams from the two Midlands-based businesses.

While Altodigital took the winning title again with 3-1, the HTE team were in high spirits after exceeding their ambitious target of raising over £10,000 for mental health charity Birmingham Mind this year.

The match was the culmination of a year long charity effort which HTE undergoes annually. Birmingham Mind, was the company’s chosen charity for 2019, as part of HTE’s commitment to the care and improvement of human life.

Dale Robinson, Chief Operating Officer of HealthTrust Europe, said:

“I am incredibly proud of the HTE team who faced really strong opponents in the form of Altodigital.

“I want to thank everyone who played their part in helping to not just meet but exceed our £10,000 target for Mind. The effort exemplifies HealthTrust Europe’s mission to improve healthcare in the communities we serve.

“We have been honoured to support such an amazing charity and this money will make a real difference to those who need it most.”

HealthTrust Europe Tackles Challenges in Healthcare Procurement

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HealthTrust Europe’s new Chief Operating Officer, Dale Robinson, will be speaking at the Health Care Supply Association Conference on 28 November.

This week Dale spoke to Business Aspects magazine on how providers can tackle healthcare procurement:

The health sector, and organisations operating within the sector, are continually reacting to change. Healthcare solutions partner, HealthTrust Europe (HTE), is at the centre of healthcare procurement and firmly focused on supporting and tackling the challenges ahead.

Read more here.

HealthTrust Europe’s Senior Director of Pharmacy, Anna Clark features in this month’s Healthcare Tech Outlook

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We’re delighted that HealthTrust Europe’s Senior Director of Pharmacy, Anna Clark features in this month’s Healthcare Tech Outlook, where she discusses the future of pharmacy automation.

Pharmacy automation offers numerous benefits to both patients and health and care providers, however not all have been able to take advantage of it. With increasing pressure on pharmacies now may be the right time for providers who want to increase efficiency to take a fresh look at automation.

Read more here.

 

School’s in for summer interns at HealthTrust Europe

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Students from two local Birmingham universities will be spending their summer at health and care solutions provider, HealthTrust Europe (HTE), gaining valuable work experience skills to enhance their entry into the workplace.

The six internships are based at HTE’s headquarters in Edgbaston, across a range of business disciplines from financial analytics to Legal to marketing.

HealthTrust Europe is a solutions partner for health and care providers, helping them to source the best value products and services to deliver high quality patient care.

Emma Stewart, HR Business Partner said: “As part of our commitment to developing employees of the future we have taken on six interns.

“HealthTrust Europe is a trusted partner for the NHS and commercial health and care providers sourcing a wide range of services and products such as pathology reporting, endoscopy, and consultancy and advisory services. To enable us to do this a broad range of skills and expertise are needed, so we have a wide range of interesting and exciting careers.

“Our staff are extremely knowledgeable and have a wealth of experience in many fields that they are keen to share with our interns.”

The summer-long internships have been offered to five second year students, and one graduate who have been studying a range of disciplines including Law, Biomedical Engineering and Economics at Aston University and the University of Birmingham.

The students have been allocated roles, in line with their studies, which will help them gain valuable experience and knowledge about the workplace before they enter the world of work. As well as gaining sector specific knowledge and learning to use various specialist business software packages such as Salesforce, the interns are also developing essential “soft” skills such as teamwork, problem solving and communications skills. Amidst a tough graduate labour market, the internships are paid the national living wage and are designed to equip students with the best skills to enter the workplace confident and prepared.

Marketing intern, Kiran Mehat said: “Having the opportunity to work in an international organisation like HealthTrust Europe lets me develop my skills in the workplace and give me an idea of the career opportunities that exist.

“HealthTrust Europe really appealed to me as I wanted the opportunity to work for an organisation that is driven by the care and improvement of human life.”

HealthTrust Europe responds to government’s Prevention green paper

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Anna Clark, senior director of pharmacy, HealthTrust Europe responded to the publication of the Government’s Prevention Green Paper “Advancing our health: prevention in the 2020s”:

“We welcome this week’s Prevention Green paper, which signals a shift towards smarter approaches to healthcare. As a healthcare solutions partner, our mission is to support the care and improvement of human life and help the NHS source the best value products and services to deliver high quality patient care.

“We are particularly pleased with the paper’s focus on screening and Antimicrobial resistance (AMR). We look forward to continuing to work closely on the provision of solutions to tackle the challenges which remain for both areas via our Pathology offering. On AMR we look to further enable the access and use of Point of Care Testing (POCT), a solution which can be used to minimise misuse of antibiotics and ensure appropriate immediate treatment.

Finally, we have increasingly witnessed the importance of mental health prevention and look forward to engaging with the national launch of the Every Mind Matters campaign. We have recently as a business began the roll-out mental health first aid training to all of our staff and will continue to champion the creation of ‘healthy places’ with our colleagues, customers and suppliers.”

 

HealthTrust Europe rolls out mental health first aid training for staff

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HealthTrust Europe rolls out mental health first aid training for staff

  • Fifth of workforce now trained as a mental health first aider
  • Training provided by Birmingham Mind, HealthTrust Europe’s charity of the year
  • HealthTrust Europe announces £5,000 has been raised for the charity in the first half of 2019

Employees at healthcare solutions partner HealthTrust Europe (HTE) are being trained to spot the signs and tackle the stigma of mental illness in the workplace.

The mental health first aid courses are being delivered by Birmingham Mind, the largest independent mental health charity providing services in and beyond the City of Birmingham’s boundaries. The organisation is also HTE’s chosen charity of 2019 and half-way through the year of fundraising the company’s members of staff have raised £5,000.

The initial two-day programme was offered this summer to volunteers across the business which is based in Edgbaston, Birmingham. The aim of the training was to give them the knowledge and confidence to recognise signs of mental health problems, encourage someone to seek the right help, and to reduce the stigma around mental illness. This can range from mild anxiety through to the early signs of depression and suicidal tendencies.

Helen Wadley, chief executive officer of Birmingham Mind, said: “To tackle the stigma of mental health, it is essential that industry works together to support their local communities. It is a pleasure to partner with HealthTrust Europe who are taking proactive steps to place employee wellbeing at the centre of their business and create a healthy working environment.”

“The aim of these courses is to give everyone the knowledge and confidence to recognise signs of mental health problems, encourage someone to seek the right help, and to reduce the stigma around mental illness.”

Initially senior managers anticipated eight to nine staff members would volunteer for the training but were astounded when 26 signed up. Later this year complementary training will be delivered to 35 managers across the business. The next stage will be for all staff members to attend awareness training.

Ian Hadridge, associate vice president of business solutions, said: “As a mission-driven organisation committed to the care and improvement of human life, HealthTrust Europe already delivers comprehensive first-aid training to all employees. To continue this objective and to ensure the health and wellbeing of staff remain of top priority, mental health training is the next logical step to take.

“Like many employers HealthTrust Europe offers a benefits package that provides colleagues access to free, confidential counselling should they want it. However, the new mental health training teaches colleagues to be aware of the signs of mental ill health in others, and advises staff how they can help an individual whether it is in the workplace, at home or in any other setting.”

One in four of people will have problems with their mental health at some point. These problems range from the day-to-day worries that everyone experiences to longer-term serious conditions. Common mental health problems include; anxiety, depression, post-natal depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and phobias. About one in a hundred people will experience severe mental illness.1 

Each year, HTE chooses a charity partner in order to raise money and awareness for issues that are at the heart of our communities. Events this year included: a women’s boxing contest; a football match against West Midlands office technology partner, Altodigital; participating in endurance challenge, Wolf Run; and a sponsored haircutting. HTE hope to raise more money throughout the rest of the year.

1Mental Health Foundation 2015, Fundamental Facts about Mental Health, available at www.mentalhealth.org.uk

Preparing for the Next 20 Years: From the Desk of Ed Jones

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Ed Jones

BUILDING ON TWO DECADES OF FOUNDATIONAL HISTORY & BUSINESS GROWTH 
The official acknowledgment of HealthTrust’s 20-year milestone commences this quarter with the publication of our first annual report.
We will continue to commemorate our platinum achievement throughout 2019, including a celebration with member attendees during the HealthTrust University Conference in Nashville.

WELCOME KINDRED HEALTHCARE

As part of our continued growth in the area of total spend management, I am pleased to welcome Kindred Healthcare to the HealthTrust membership. Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, Kindred Healthcare is a specialty hospital and rehabilitation company providing services in 45 states. We look forward to a long relationship, supporting their patient care mission by providing access to quality products and supply chain efficiencies, as well as working with the Kindred team to enhance their operational performance.

PHARMACY OPTIMIZATION

Michael Berryhill

HealthTrust manages one of the largest purchasing programs for pharmaceuticals in the GPO market, with billions of dollars of pharmacy spend on the IDN side through HealthTrust, as well as billions of dollars of spend in the employer/pharmacy benefits management space through our CoreTrust business. Historically, this has been delivered through two separate teams within HealthTrust. Michael Berryhill, HealthTrust COO, recently announced the reorganization of our pharmacy program into a single function, focused on strategy and execution of pharmacy optimization.

Joey Dizenhouse

HealthTrust Senior Vice President Joey Dizenhouse now leads the Pharmacy Services Group. With more than 20 years of experience in the health/pharmacy insurance field, he has worked with some of the nation’s largest IDNs and employers and has particular expertise in designing employee benefits/PBM group purchasing programs. Joey officially joined HealthTrust in 2016 after several years of consulting with us.
As part of this redesign strategy, Joey and his team conducted a rigorous RFP process and selected OptumRx as HealthTrust’s exclusive pharmacy care services partner. OptumRx will provide pharmacy benefit solutions intended to support better health outcomes, improved consumer experiences and lower costs. Combined with HealthTrust’s portfolio and pharmacy capabilities, this partnership will enable us to deliver programs that incorporate transparency, flexibility and alignment of incentives between the PBM, employer and patient.

STAFFING RECOGNITION

Brendan Courtney

Another area of our business—HealthTrust Workforce Solutions—was recognized in the first quarter with a “Best of Staffing Client Award” by ClearlyRated for endorsements received from its client organizations. Presented in partnership with CareerBuilder and Indeed, “Best of Staffing” recognition is based on Net Promoter Score—a measure of how likely clients are to recommend an agency to a friend or colleague. With a mission of helping hospitals and health systems fill critical labor vacancies, HealthTrust Workforce Solutions received high ratings from nearly two-thirds of its surveyed clients, indicating they would recommend the agency to others. The rating is significantly higher than the staffing industry average of 35 percent for agencies participating in the annual survey in 2018. Congratulations to president and CEO of HealthTrust Workforce Solutions Brendan Courtney and his team on this recognition.

HEALTHTRUST EUROPE

HealthTrust Europe (HTE) is a market-leading total spend management company, delivering the highest quality products and services at market competitive pricing, including double-digit savings across many categories. Since inception as HTE in 2011, its offerings have expanded to also include pharmacy automation, drug contracting, purchased services/outsourced frameworks, and flexible contracting solutions— such as information communication technology and staffing.

Dennis Robb

Working in partnership with the National Health Service (NHS), HCA Healthcare UK and private equity firms affiliated with our CoreTrust Europe GPO, Dennis Robb and the HealthTrust Europe (HTE) team increased its total spend under management to £1 billion in just 10 months.
The recent HealthTrust Europe and HCA Healthcare UK supply chain initiative achieved more than £5 million in savings and significant operational improvements. The work was a collaboration between HTE operations staff in Birmingham, our U.S. team and the London-based supply chain team. Together, they drove pharmacy automation and inventory control, enhanced clinical engagement, installed new IT platforms, improved data and financial analytics, and provided general data protection compliance and robust contracting.
These and many other areas of our business will continue to position HealthTrust for success over the next 20 years and beyond. Thank you for trusting us with your spend management, and clinical and operational performance improvement needs.

 

Ed Jones
President/CEO, HealthTrust