By John Kelly, CEO, Bluegrass Business Media
The 2012 Fall IDN Summit takes place Sept. 11-13 at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix. The education program has a great lineup of industry leaders ready to stimulate your thinking, while the Reverse Expo is on track to be one of largest with incredible opportunities for introductions and the launch of new business collaborations.
With that foundation set, here are the Top Ten Reasons to be at the 2012 Fall IDN Summit:
10: Enjoy a Night With the Stars. Celebrate the Arizona Biltmore's heritage of catering to the Hollywood set by enjoying the GPO Receptions on Tuesday night featuring a Night With the Stars and learn more about the nation's leading GPOs.
9: Take Credit Where it's Due. The IDN Summit education program allows you to earn CEUs for attending. Just stop by the registration desk to pick up a form and follow the easy instructions for completion.
8: Forge New Relationships. Can we say "networking" enough? The IDN Summit offers plenty of opportunities to renew existing business relationships and lay the groundwork for new ones. In addition to organized events, there is the opportunity for making appointments and side meetings to ensure plenty of face time with key players in the industry.
7: Be a Better Team Player. Tuesday morning's team-building exercise sponsored by VHA will provide some excellent, practical advice for fine-tuning your skills through collaborative activities. But you will also be able to help some area families by using teamwork to construct IKEA furniture for their new Habitat for Humanity-sponsored homes.
6: Collaborate, Compare and Compete. Whether you are a provider or a supplier, the IDN Summit offers the opportunity to share some insight with your colleagues, promote your organization's goals, and learn the latest developments from some of your counterparts all at one location.
5: Gain Premier Business Education. The 2012 Fall IDN Summit is again partnering with Jack Welch Management Institute to bring unrivaled business education to Summit attendees, all included as part of your IDN Summit experience.
4: Be Inspired. Whether a keynote presentation challenges you to stretch your limits or a breakout session sparks an idea to put to work immediately back home, you can expect the 2012 Fall IDN Summit to inspire you to stretch your old boundaries and grasp new solutions.
3: Immerse Yourself. Don't just attend, interact. Thursday morning's general session in particular will offer the opportunity to fine-tune your leadership skills and gain new insight on the supply chain through interactive learning. Be bold, take part. You won't be disappointed.
2: Be a Part of Something Big. This fall's Reverse Expo could be one of IDN Summit's largest. The unique reverse expo format has healthcare purchase-decision makers staffing booths to host their GPO and supplier counterparts. It's a unique opportunity for all parties to effectively and efficiently use their time and resources in a neutral environment.
1: Reap the Rewards of a Sound Investment. Gain everything on this list and more, all by investing just a bit of your time and resources into the IDN Summit. Suppliers save time and travel expenses associated with cultivating partnership through travel to individual systems. Health system senior purchasing executives save valuable time resources normally associated with sourcing new vendors by instead networking with suppliers in the neutral, open environment of the IDN Summit.
I hope you take full advantage of all the 2012 Fall IDN Summit has to offer. You can learn more about the event by visiting the 2012 Fall IDN Summit information page. I look forward to seeing you in Phoenix.