By Vicki L. White, Vice President, Operations, OC Reilly, Inc.
(June 21, 2021)—Firm fair, and aggressive. That has been our mantra at OC Reilly since the company’s formation. To be the voice in the room that can stand up and offer a breakthrough idea that serves all parties’ purposes, even when that means speaking out against a plan.
Our approach means always looking for opportunities to assist and guide our health care clients to greater efficiency and profitability, while maintaining their ability to provide quality care to patients. We cannot sit back and wait for ideas and innovations to bubble up organically. We consider it our responsibility to bring that level of thinking to the conversation, in every instance, with every relationship.
Occasionally, that means expressing the view that a plan under consideration will not work – or, at least, will not bring about the results the client has in mind. It can be a lonely place, as the only one in the room objecting to an idea. But the call to be firm, fair, and aggressive overrides that, we believe.
Clients at times may not have the same institutional experience as our team, or they may not have witnessed the outcomes that an ill-conceived proposal could bring about. If counterproductive or costly issues can be avoided by slowing down or stopping such plans, we would be failing in our advisory role to not speak up and say so.
Naturally, the best way to assert this posture comes in having built and strengthened a level of trust and open dialogue all along. Our approach to client service recognizes this, as well, and we work tirelessly to live up to that goal every day.
For the past 16 years, the professional health care supply chain advisory team at OC Reilly has focused on anticipating client needs, steering them away from problems, and drawing on our comprehensive knowledge and trust-based relationships to confidently state our frank viewpoints on strategic and tactical decisions being considered by our clients. Some of the most rewarding successes have come through these partnerships.
It takes courage and true professionalism on all sides to manage such occasionally tough discussions. But the benefits prove worth it in the end.
© 2021 OC Reilly, Inc.