CLEVELAND, OH – As chief administrative officer at Cleveland-based Medical Service Company (MSC), Dana McLaughlin helps guide a regional HME provider with more than 50 locations across the Midwest. With just shy of three decades in the HME industry, McLaughlin has seen the ups and downs.
Medtrade Monday recently sat down with McLaughlin to gauge her opinions on leadership, artificial intelligence, the current business climate, and the future of the industry.
Medtrade Monday: How would you characterize 2024 from a business standpoint?
McLaughlin: 2024 has been good from the standpoint of our focus on partnerships. MSC serves many health system partners in our major markets; we are focusing on strengthening those relationships through increased communication and collaboration. Our people continue to be the core of our success; we’re adding top performers every day. I am proud to be a part of such a dedicated team of professionals improving patient lives.
Medtrade Monday: What’s new for MSC this year?
McLaughlin: Hello, Automation! Our industry is turning a new page, introducing AI/RPA/automated processing into our realm—finally. The toughest hurdle is determining the approach—selection of where to implement the opportunities we have and prioritizing our investment for optimal ROI. Communicating to staff these implementations strategically to circumvent fear of being replaced by machines is vital. One pleasant surprise is seeing the results a small investment in robotics can produce.
Medtrade Monday: What advice would you give to HME providers who want to improve their leadership skills?
McLaughlin: Leadership comes naturally to true leaders and really is based upon common sense. Live the example you want your team members to emulate. Lead with compassion, empathy, and accountability. Be vulnerable; let those you lead see the true you and they will, in turn, do the same. A relationship built on the foundation of respect and trust will bring great success. One of the best resources for me in my career has been networking. Never hesitate to reach out to other leaders to discuss and share ideas. I’m working with other women affiliated with our industry to support them as they strive to grow professionally and personally.
Medtrade Monday: What is the most valuable skill and/or mindset that a leader can have?
McLaughlin: I can cheat on this answer because an executive coach recently told me that “according to studies” empathy is the number one determinant of a top leader’s success. I believe that because the ability to put yourself in another’s’ perspective allows one to make decisions with the most appropriate impact on all parties in a given situation.
Medtrade Monday: What is your level of optimism (or pessimism) for the future of the industry?
McLaughlin: I am very optimistic about the future of our industry. As usual, we will face a lot of change; and, change brings challenge. I feel optimistic because of upcoming technological enhancements in our processes, and new doors opening in home-environment healthcare. We will certainly look different, but we will continue to be a strategic partner in allowing patients improved lives through care in their home setting.
Medtrade Monday: What do you like to do when you’re not working?
McLaughlin: When you and I last spoke a few years ago, I shared my love for trips to the Smoky Mountains to ride my motorcycle. At that time, I had a dream of having a home in the mountains. I made my dream a reality—building a home in western North Carolina, just outside Smoky Mountains National Park. If you really want something—make it happen.
Dana McLaughlin (pictured above left at a Stand Up For Homecare fund raiser at Medtrade) is chief administrative officer of Medical Services Company based in Cleveland, Ohio. McLaughlin received VGM’s 2023 Home Medical Equipment (HME) Woman of the Year award. She has an MBA and a CMA (certified management accountant), both earned while working full-time and raising her two sons.
