I learned on the same day as my deadline for completing this column that this is the last publication of Materials Management in Health Care (MMHC) magazine. The original column I was working on was going to be on a completely different topic. But given this news, there is no way I'm letting Materials Management in Health Care "go gentle into that good night," to quote Dylan Thomas.
First, it's disappointing that we're losing one of our knowledge-sharing conduits that is dedicated solely to health care supply chain. Second, it's important that we take a moment to recognize the contributions Materials Management in Health Care magazine has made.
As a profession, we still have a number of other quality publications at our fingertips to contribute toward and to reference for news and information on the health care supply chain. In addition, in this day and age, there are other mechanisms beyond the printed page to make up for losing one means of knowledge sharing. Plus, AHRMM is dedicated to perpetually looking into such alternatives.
Maintaining substantive and effective channels for knowledge sharing is important in any profession, and times like this help us sharpen our focus on the importance of further developing such channels. In the recent study "The State of Healthcare Logistics" released last year by AHRMM and the Center for Innovation in Healthcare Logistics at the University of Arkansas, one peer poignantly described our profession as being "talent rich, but remaining talent disconnected." (For a copy of the full study, go to AHRMM's Knowledge Center at www.ahrmm.org.)
I'll argue that we are far more connected than even just five years ago by virtue of the dramatic expanded use of simple tools like AHRMM's Listserv and LinkedIn. However, the statement from the study also has merit in that we have substantial room for growth in strengthening our common national and global knowledge base within this profession. So anytime we lose another means of connecting the talent within our profession, it is something worth noting.
Regarding MMHC magazine, AHRMM has been assured that the publication's website will be active going forward. So past articles can be obtained from the magazine's website or found by searching on Google. In addition, AHRMM is actively pursuing having these articles copied into AHRMM's Knowledge Center. We may be losing one of our conduits for sharing knowledge, but we shouldn't also lose what's been written since 2005. Further efforts are being taken to ensure this.
In closing, Materials Management in Health Care has been an invaluable source for connecting supply chain talent and for that we're grateful. Also, during the last six months, I've enjoyed having my space for the President's Letter run side-by-side with the column written by Lisa Huber, president, International Association of Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management (IAHCSMM). I'd like to take this moment to thank those professionals publicly for all the great work they do.
MMHC has been one of our conduits for knowledge sharing for 19 years. That's a big deal. As a profession we're grateful that you've been there for us, and we're grateful for the American Hospital Association's past support toward this publication. Thanks to everyone who contributed.
We will continue to strengthen the connections in our profession. In addition to other quality publications and the constantly changing social media, AHRMM is actively strengthening its own infrastructure to help support expansion and growing connectivity and knowledge sharing within the immense talent pool in the health care supply chain.
So maybe not "good night" to Materials Management in Health Care, but thanks! This publication's contributions have been appreciated and will be remembered.
Resources:
•Be sure to explore AHRMM's Resources & Tools Web page at www.ahrmm.org.
•AHRMM's Knowledge Center also is located on the Resources & Tools page at www.ahrmm.org.
•"The State of Healthcare Logistics" study was released by AHRMM and the Center for Innovation in Healthcare Logistics at University of Arkansas in 2009. A full copy is available at AHRMM's Knowledge Center.
Ray Moore, CMRP, MBA
System Contract Manager—Pharmacy
PeaceHealth
14432 SE Eastgate Way, Suite 300
Bellevue, WA 98007-6412
425-649-3884
rmoore@peacehealth.org
This article first appeared in the June 2010 issue of Materials Management in Health Care.
To respond to this article, please click here.
