Editors’ Note

Previously, Don Weber was President and Founder of National Health Screenings. He then built HSNA, a premier provider of pre-employment drug testing services, and sold it to Pinkerton Services Group. After a transition period, he began devoting his time to building Logistics Health into a world-class leader in the field of military medical and dental readiness. In 2004, Weber was named Wisconsin Entrepreneur of the Year by the Wisconsin Entrepreneur’s Conference. He was also named the La Crosse Tribune’s Person of the Year for 2006. Weber joined the United States Marine Corps and served on active duty in the Vietnam War. For his distinguished service he has received many awards, among them the Purple Heart and two bronze stars.

Company Brief

Logistics Health Incorporated (logisticshealth.com; LHI) was founded by Donald J. Weber in La Crosse, Wisconsin in 1999. Weber formed the company to address critical military medical readiness concerns. Today, the organization offers innovative health care solutions for the people who keep America safe and running. LHI’s capabilities allow them to support customers throughout the U.S. and beyond, and include medical evaluation programs, occupational health, medical, dental, and behavioral health, as well as spearheading employee wellness programs. LHI’s team consists of a national network of licensed health care providers and experienced professionals at the organization’s corporate headquarters, and other communities throughout the nation.

Would you provide an overview of the services that Logistics Health provides?

LHI understands the unique challenges facing customers in providing medical and dental examinations. Customers want an efficient medical examination process, seamless information technology (IT) data exchange and workflow, and often, electronic records of encounters. LHI provides high-quality medical exams with daily delivery to employees, veterans, service members, responders, and beneficiaries. LHI supports a variety of other medical evaluation programs including the World Trade Center National Responder Health Program; the Veterans Affairs Disability Examinations Management Program (VADEM); and The United States Military Entrance Processing Command (USMEPCOM). Our operational service delivery capability forms the foundation for our solution.

What is the vision behind your MedNet Technology Platform?

MedNet is a secure and comprehensive single-platform solution to automate LHI’s operational processes, integrate our call centers and other communication and support systems, orchestrate all departmental functions, and interface with external systems. MedNet allows for automated, event-driven workflow management support. This workflow can be configured per customer, with tasks triggered off of various workflow events enabling the creation of custom solutions for our customers to best handle their specific support needs. MedNet provides our staff with the ability to track every service delivered within our national network of providers, digitize all medical documents and records into an electronic format, and automatically link these records to the appropriate patient within our database.

Would you talk more about your Distribution Operations Center, as well as your delivery models?

LHI’s Distribution Operations Center (DOC) offers support and logistics distribution for the organization. Their duties include medical kit assembly, high-production printing and scanning, and shipping medical and dental equipment, as well as distribution of a wide variety of vaccines and ancillary supplies to customers and clinical locations. The DOC maintains real-time shipment transactions and tracking through MedNet. With cold chain management for vaccines storage and dry storage space, LHI is prepared to handle a wide variety of customer needs with confidence.

LHI offers a selection of delivery models intended to meet the health-care requirements of federal, state, and commercial clients whenever and wherever necessary, including on-location, in-clinic, and call center services.

How has LHI directed its focus on medical readiness solutions and employee wellness, as well as occupational health and compliance?

For many industries, LHI provides employee drug testing, vaccinations, and overall wellness support, including physical and emotional support. This becomes an essential component of managing an organization’s workforce as commercial companies examine and seek to protect the overall investment they make in their greatest resource: their employees.

LHI understands that compliance with all appropriate federal regulations is the key to a successful medical testing program. A pre-employment examination is the cornerstone of medical surveillance/occupational compliance. LHI also conducts periodic evaluations to determine whether workers are experiencing any adverse health effects as a result of performing their assigned duties.

How important is it to create a diverse workforce population?

An essential part of our recruitment efforts is dedicated to giving back to our veteran population and creating diversity in our workforce in that way. As a company, we have been blessed to have been of service to our nation’s men and women in uniform, ensuring that they are fit for duty, and when they return from active service, that they are mentally and physically healthy for the challenges they will face on home soil. An important component to that health includes meaningful employment. So as an organization, we are committed to building a workforce that is comprised of 20 percent veterans. Today, we’re halfway to our goal.

What is Wisconsin’s value as a business-friendly state and how important are public/private partnerships?

In working with the state and the community in La Crosse, we have encountered enthusiasm and support for our business growth and expansion. Some of that support has come our way in the form of tax credits, Tax Incremental Financing (TIFs), and grants through the state. So we have experienced a strong public/private partnership in Wisconsin, and we are proud to answer the call to grow jobs while creating a healthier tomorrow. Beyond that, we have an incredible symbiotic relationship with our strong educational system and superior health-care offerings. These are primary factors that contribute to the high quality of life here, which not only attracts people to this region but keeps them here.

What do you believe makes for an effective leader today?

One of the essential qualities of any great leader is credibility, which is built upon a firm foundation of honesty with your employees. When you have earned that credibility, your employees will believe in your vision and they will follow you.•