Alex Carver
Managing Director of medi Australia - Leadership Excellence in Medical Equipment Manufacturing
Profile
In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Alex Carver, the Managing Director of medi Australia, to discuss the innovative world of medi Australia and its impactful role in the healthcare sector. With a rich background in healthcare and a deep commitment to patient-centric care, Alex offers unique insights into the advancements, challenges, and future directions of medi and the healthcare sector.
Interview
Alex, please give our readers a brief overview of medi Australia and its core mission and values.
medi Australia is the Australian group company of medi GMBH & Co. KG – headquartered in Bayreuth Germany. In Australia, our mission is to drive solutions, education, and innovation in treating lymphoedema, phlebology, and orthopaedic conditions. Our core values – ‘Customer First,’ ‘How can I help?’, ‘I want to learn,’ and ‘Be proactive’ – are the pillars that define our culture and guide our actions. We aim to provide exceptional care and support to patients by putting their needs at the forefront of everything we do. This aligns with medi’s global slogan. ‘medi. I feel better.’
Having dedicated over a decade to the healthcare sector, could you share your observations on the transformations that have occurred, mainly focusing on the advancements and enhancements made to medi products?
The past decade has seen a significant rise in the role of technology in the patient treatment pathway. As a global company, medi strives to be a world leader in the sectors in which we operate. We drive the implementation of these patient-orientated solutions in the Australian market.
We recently partnered with our American colleagues and two world-leading universities to research the early detection and treatment of lymphoedema following breast cancer. Implementing this practice-altering research in an early intervention model of care can change patients’ lives.
Globally, medi has pioneered advancements in garment measuring technology and with Òmedi visionÓ, we are the only company that offers a mobile, contactless measuring modality for compression garments. medi has continually been at the forefront of these initiatives, constantly enhancing our products to ensure optimal effectiveness and patient comfort.
In orthopaedics, medi regularly brings together interdisciplinary groups of physicians to discuss the most pressing issues in treatment of patients. Most recently, medi hosted our second annual conference on ACL injuries in Female Football (soccer) players. In doing this, medi can ensure we continue to deliver research-based best practices in the solutions we provide for these patient groups.
More broadly, how have you seen the healthcare industry evolve in Australia, and what role has medi played in driving this change?
The healthcare industry in Australia has seen a shift towards a more patient-centric approach, with a greater emphasis on personalised care and holistic well-being. medi has played an instrumental role in assisting clinicians in driving this change by developing innovative solutions that address specific healthcare needs.
In the past three years, we have introduced multiple new products to the Australian market. Our dedication to patient-focused care, technological advancements, and continuous improvement has contributed to the overall enhancement of healthcare experiences and outcomes in the country.
Can you share some of the critical challenges medi Australia has faced and how you have navigated through them? Additionally, what opportunities do you foresee in the Australian healthcare sector?
Like all businesses, we have encountered challenges in the past few years, from COVID-19 to price increases (inflation) and market competition.
We have navigated through these challenges by aligning resources to meet market needs and introducing products that meet customer demand. For example, medi Vision, our contactless measuring device, has been in development since 2018. It was introduced during the pandemic and met the need for social distancing while providing an essential service for patients.
We have forged strategic partnerships with retailers and distributors that align with our values and behaviours. Finally, we have doubled down on maintaining a customer-centric approach.
Looking ahead, we see immense opportunities in continuing to develop and introduce products that promote patient self-management and care. We also continue to drive education and workshops to clinicians across our product portfolio – by delivering market-leading education, we strive to enhance our customer and patient experience in their use of our products.
How does medi Australia prioritise a patient-centric approach, and how has this impacted patient outcomes and satisfaction?
At medi, the patient is at the heart of our operations. We strive to have everyone say, ‘medi. I feel better’ following their interaction with medi Australia.
We actively seek and incorporate feedback, ensuring our products align with patients’ needs and preferences – in effect, we are a catalyst between the medical industry and specialist retailers/therapists. The range of medical services includes medical compression stockings, adaptive compression aids, supports, orthoses, thrombosis prophylaxis stockings, compression garments and orthopaedic shoe insoles. This approach has significantly improved patient outcomes and satisfaction, as patients feel heard and valued throughout their healthcare journey.
Our thoughts and actions are shaped by our love of challenges and setting standards with the best products and concepts. We think outside the box, looking for new approaches and constantly developing our expertise.
Sustainability is a growing concern across industries. Could you elaborate on any sustainability initiatives or practices medi has adopted, particularly concerning manufacturing and recycling used products?
In 2023, we launched mediven_ cotton – a unique product that has patient care and sustainability at its core. Throughout the R&D phase of creating mediven cotton, medi adopted eco-friendly manufacturing processes, reducing waste and promoting recycling. mediven cotton only uses cotton from suppliers that meet the internationally leading Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).
In addition to certified organic cotton, we also use recycled polyamide yarn, certified according to high criteria by the Global Recycled Standard (GRS). We have created a sustainable stocking by implementing these factors into the product.
The recycled polyamide yarn’s material and manufacturing process meets international ecological and social standards – in terms of sustainability for people and the environment. The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) is the world’s leading standard for recycled materials and identifies demonstrably recycled and sustainably processed materials.
The recycled material used must be traceable to its origin. The manufacturer must state and document exactly in which production process the material originated as waste. In the case of the yarn used in mediven cotton*, this is the in-house production of our polyamide yarn supplier.
Companies to be certified must have an environmental management system that documents the company’s annual planning and achievement of the following ecological requirements. Targets for reducing electricity and water consumption, wastewater, CO2 emissions and waste must be set and tracked.
It is forbidden to use problematic substances that endanger the health of employees or the environment. The polyamide yarn used in mediven cotton* comprises 60 per cent recycled raw material from polyamide production. The process is also transparent – it meets all traceability requirements.
The result: saved resources and benefits for the environment! We continually invest in research to develop sustainable materials and production methods. Additionally, we encourage responsible disposal and recycling of our products to contribute to a greener and more sustainable future.
On a more personal note, can you share your leadership philosophy and how it guides your decisions and strategy at medi, Australia?
My leadership philosophy centres around collaboration, innovation, and empathy. I believe in fostering a culture of open communication where every team member’s input is valued. I’m a huge fan of Patrick Lencioni and his trust and team dynamics theories. I also believe in continuous learning and encourage the other leaders in our business to support their teams in developing skills and knowledge.
Lastly, empathy towards our customers and their patients and understanding their needs guide our strategy, ensuring our actions positively impact patients and the organisation.
As you look forward, please share some of the primary objectives you aim to achieve as Managing Director at medi in the upcoming period. Are there any novel services or products that we can anticipate?
In the past two months, we have introduced at least three new products to the Australian market – Rejuva is our first fashion-based compression range for the Aussie market. We have added seamless toecaps to the flat-knit range and new colours and patterns to our flat-knit compression product range.
At medi Australia, our immediate focus is meeting the growth demands of our customers while we add to our team and grow our capabilities across Australia. Recent wins at our local business awards, nominations for national awards within our sector, and commencing new tenders in NSW and WA are just some of what is in store for medi’s new year.
We’ve seen substantial growth over the past 18 months and look to consolidate this in 2024 and beyond – these are exciting times.
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