Innovatix + Essensa National Meeting & Expo

2019 Innovatix + Essensa National Meeting & Expo Recap

The Innovatix + Essensa National Meeting & Expo brings together members, contracted suppliers, and staff from Premier Alternate Site Programs for three highly anticipated days of learning, networking, and business development. The 2019 meeting, held from October 28-30 in downtown Atlanta, was among the most well-received and well-attended events we’ve held to date.

Keynotes, Awards, and Networking Events

The meeting kicked off with an energetic welcome address from John Sganga, Premier’s Senior Vice President of Alternate Site Programs. In his remarks, John discussed how changes to the broader healthcare landscape – value-based care, reimbursement, new technology, and consumerism – are changing the way healthcare is delivered. Specifically, they are driving healthcare delivery out of the acute care setting and into alternate sites, presenting both a challenge and a big opportunity for non-acute providers. John concluded his remarks by announcing that 2019 will be the last Innovatix + Essensa National Meeting, to be replaced in 2020 by a Premier Alternate Site Meeting that will bigger and more inclusive.

After John concluded his remarks, we honored the winners of this year’s Innovatix and Essensa member awards. Presented in five categories, these awards recognize members who make use of all available resources to lower their supply chain costs through extensive participation the Innovatix and Essensa purchasing programs. This year’s winners are:

• Assisted Living: Milestone Retirement Communities
• Skilled Nursing: CareOne
• Home Infusion Provider: Intramed Plus
• Long-Term Care Pharmacy: Gulfcoast Pharmaceutical Specialty
• Business and Industry: Biltmore Estate

At the awards ceremony’s conclusion, our special guest keynote speaker, Barbara Corcoran, Founder of The Corcoran Group & ‘Shark’ on Shark Tank, took center stage. Barbara inspired attendees by sharing events from her life, including the adversity she overcame to become a successful entrepreneur. She also offered practical business advice about identifying talent and drawing on strengths. Barbara’s no-nonsense yet warm style had the audience captivated.

The meeting’s two evening networking events, held the first day onsite at the Hilton Atlanta and the next day at the Georgia Aquarium, were both enjoyable and productive for all in attendance. The events offered participants the opportunity to get to know each other while exploring the aquarium and its exhibits. Suppliers used the events to make connections with members and gain valuable insight into their specific needs, while members were also able to network with each other and Premier Alternate Site staff.

Both Tuesday and Wednesday kicked off with engaging keynote speakers in the morning. At Tuesday’s government affairs keynote breakfast, Blair Childs, Premier’s Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, discussed “Healthcare in the Age of Disruption.” A true beltway insider, Blair shared his perspective on everything from healthcare reform to the 2020 elections to privacy concerns in healthcare. John Sganga joined Blair on stage for a Q&A session that underscored Premier’s government affairs activities on behalf of Alternate Site members.

Wednesday morning’s breakfast was highlighted by business keynote speaker Aaron Tucker, Navy SEAL Combat Veteran & Business Consultant. Aaron’s engaging style and personal reflections about his military and business careers forged a connection with members, while his lessons about developing high-performing teams visibly resonated with the corporate leaders in the audience.

Educational Programming

This year’s meeting featured 15 educational programming sessions organized into three parallel tracks curated to meet the needs of all attendees: 1) clinical; 2) government affairs, regulatory issues, and alternate payment models; and 3) business operations and management. The three tracks included over 12.5 hours of accredited continuing education sessions for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, long-term care administrators, and nurses.

All three tracks featured subject matter experts and thought leaders who shared their knowledge with attendees in an interactive setting. Prominent sessions included an in-depth look at how recent health policy changes impact providers in the Medicare Part D and post-acute care space; advice on how to manage your business’s online reputation; the evolution of telehealth; guidance on millennials in the workforce; an update on the 2019 drug pipeline; a review of adverse effects from immunotherapy cancer treatments; and more.

Download 2019 Program Download 2019 Agenda

Exhibition Hall

Spread out over two days, this year’s Exhibition Hall had over 100 exhibitors on hand to educate members about the value their products and services provide. Premier Alternate Site staff provided a crucial link, personally facilitating conversations between exhibitors and members. Exhibitors also had the opportunity to directly engage with Premier Alternate Site staff during this year’s reverse trade show. In addition, the exhibitors appreciated inclusion in the full program of events throughout the meeting, which increased their interaction with members, creating more opportunities for mutual success.

Thank you 2019 exhibitors!

We appreciate your continued support for our organization and our members!