How does Medline approach this job? The same way it has since its inception: by supporting every customer as more than a transactional partner. Becoming the largest provider of medical-surgical products and supply chain solutions across all points of care doesn’t merely happen. It’s driven by gritty, speedy problem-solving from more than 43,000 employees worldwide – from the product designer at Medline’s Illinois headquarters to the MedTrans driver unloading supplies on a hospital loading dock to the clinical liaison helping doctors and nurses understand the best way to use Medline products. Medline insists on working side by side with its customers to hear their specific needs and tailor their service and products accordingly.

“Healthcare is challenging. It’s a 24/7 business,” said Amanda Laabs, chief product officer, who joined Medline in the medical textiles division in 2006. “You have to be willing to put the extra effort forward. You have to be willing to tackle impossible problems. You can’t just give up. And I think that’s a big part of what makes people successful here – the idea of staying with the problem and seeing it through.”

The result of this persistence is another Medline calling card: unparalleled trust. Clinicians in every type of care setting rely on Medline’s portfolio of approximately 335,000 products – including those of other suppliers – to do what they do best. They rely on innovation and new products and solutions that directly address their pain points. And they especially rely on uninterrupted service, even in tough times when other distributors and suppliers can’t or won’t come through. Operating from 45 distribution centers in the U.S. alone, out of 69 globally, Medline is able to deliver next-day to 95% of its U.S. customers.

Meanwhile, customers benefit from the final piece of the Medline package: unmatched total value in the form of cost savings, simplicity and technological enhancements that offer additional peace of mind. Medline not only helps organizations save money but also handles the heavy lifting in an increasingly complex healthcare universe in which every dollar counts.

“Medline operations’ sole purpose is to serve our customers and to create value for them,” said Steve Miller, chief operating officer. “Our capabilities at Medline allow us to be the one-stop shop for our customers across the entire continuum of care.”

The proof is obvious – a long, distinguished list of Prime Vendor relationships in which leading healthcare providers have chosen Medline as their consolidated distributor and logistics provider, not to mention more than 50 years of consecutive growth for a company that believes the way to truly make healthcare run better is to do it together.

“For generations, Medline has been there for its customers, listening to them with urgency and understanding what they need to be successful for their patients before all else,” said Doug Golwas, chief commercial officer. “Now that we are a public company, that determination doesn’t change. We are excited to celebrate this incredible milestone, but even more excited to get back to work for our customers.”