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A Tribute to Our Colleague and Friend, Ashley Voils
How to Make 2022 a Happy New Year
International Distributor Meeting at Medica
Product Highlight: Sinocare Competitive Testing
A Tribute to Our Colleague and Friend, Ashley Voils
By Latasha Little, Product Labeling Manager
On November 15, 2021, Ashley Voils passed away in the comfort of her home surrounded by family. She fought a year-long battle with cancer with an unshakable amount of optimism, strength, and courage that many here at PTS Diagnostics admired. I will miss her fierce passion and dedication to all things Quality by ensuring that anything she encountered at PTS was as error-free as possible. I will also miss her collaboration, and most of all, her friendship. She meant a lot to the PTS Diagnostics team, and to me personally.
I first met Ashley in college during our freshman year at Ball State University. We were in the same English/Anthropology class together and became friends when we were put into the same group for a class project. We remained close friends throughout college—we even became sorority sisters (and afterwards—she was a bridesmaid in my wedding). She left BSU Junior year and graduated from Indiana University and I from BSU in 2007.
After college, Ashley had been working at a podiatrist office as a receptionist but left the job and was searching for a new opportunity. In 2008, an executive assistant position was added at PTS (I had been working at PTS for 6 months). I told Ashley about the open position and that’s how she eventually came to PTS. Between coffee runs, scheduling meetings, helping me plan company events, and other executive assistant type tasks, she managed to find her niche within our organization which lent to her specific skills of proofing/editing documents that she was asked to print or format.
A position was added in the Document Control department years later, and she was able to utilize and showcase her English degree talents to the full extent. Ashley’s expertise within that department led her to become promoted to the Document Control Supervisor. Ashley passionately worked at PTS for 13 years and it had a significant impact on so many of us. In her career at PTS, she worked with integrity, unparalleled attention to detail, and had an innovative spirit which led to countless improvements (too many to list!) throughout the organization.
Below are a few favorite memories from Brittany Dobson, Document Control Coordinator who reported to Ashley on the Document Control team:
“My favorite morning ritual was laughing at Ashley’s grumpy morning greeting. She was NOT a morning person. Then she’d make her coffee and get to work. Most days she’d be distracted with work emails and I’d notice her coffee on the Keurig and walk into her office and hand it to her.
She was the absolute best boss! I’ve stayed at PTS as long as I have mainly because I loved working for her. She never micro-managed, she was incredibly patient, and a great teacher. She was brilliant with grammar, formatting, and had an eagle eye for catching branding issues. She was my boss, but she was also my mentor and friend. I spent nearly every business day with her for almost 6 years. I know I probably wasn’t always the easiest to manage, but we made a great team. I’ll miss being her second in command. She was truly one of a kind and her vibrant personality is missed every single day.” — Brittany Dobson, Document Control Coordinator
All the people that knew Ashley will miss a highly intelligent, vibrant, and a genuinely warm and wonderful person. She will always be remembered for her beautiful smile, sense of humor, and big heart. Ashley was a devoted mother to her daughter Tyler, a loving wife to her husband Nick, an inspiring supervisor, a highly respected colleague, and a dear friend to many of us here at PTS. Our sorrow is lessened only slightly with the comforting thought that we had the privilege to have known her.
How to Make 2022 a Happy New Year
If you want to predict the future, you must start with a deep understanding of the present.
But understanding the present has gotten a lot trickier these days. How do we even begin to make sense of what’s happening in our industry right now, so that we can better prepare for what’s next?
“It is always about forecasting,” says VP of Sales Cliffe Allen. “If we can continue to get better at having the right conversations with our customers, we’ll be able to forecast further into the future with more accuracy.”
So far, those conversations with our customers have led Cliffe and Executive Director of International Sales David Brandt to believe that being successful in 2022 will require three things from us as an organization: Adaptability, Reliability, and Support.
Adaptability
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many ongoing irregularities in healthcare and in related industries (to say the least.) Everyone is scrambling to adapt to the new reality, and Cliffe believes that in 2022, we’ll have to be ready to turn on a dime when new customer needs arise.
“Our domestic customers will continue to use ‘just in time’ inventory practices and will need product quickly, and sometimes unexpectedly, from us. We’ll need to have solid forecasts and plenty of safety stock available for our most popular items,” he said.
When it comes to international customers, David says he is hopeful that the issues that are outside of our control, like shipping route and supply chain disruptions, will begin to subside in 2022, and that as a company, we will emerge with even better processes and systems in place for serving international customers. He also is optimistic that government funding for diabetes and cardiovascular disease programs will begin to return to pre-COVID levels.
“When the pandemic started in 2020, several governments diverted money and resources allocated for diabetes and cardiovascular disease efforts to emergency COVID-19 efforts,” he explained. “But the need for cardiometabolic health efforts didn’t go away during COVID. In fact, those needs may have only increased. So, ideally, many countries will go back to funding these programs in 2022.”
Reliability
The more things change, the more they stay the same. One of our strengths as a company has always been our ability to consistently provide high-quality, well-manufactured products to our customers. Both Cliffe and David believe that we will need to lean into this strength more than ever in 2022.
“Customers will continue to expect our product to perform effectively and for our support to be consistent when they do have an issue. This has been, and will always be, the same,” Cliffe said.
So, as the ground will sure continue to move beneath our feet next year, we’ll remind ourselves what’s most important to our continued success—Quality and Service.
Support
If the ground did move unexpectedly beneath your feet, you’d probably instinctively reach out for someone or something that would help you steady yourself, right? That’s what’s currently happening within the healthcare industry, and it’s what we’ll need to happen even more here at PTS in 2022.
“Just like in 2021, efforts to fill gaps in care will continue to shape the landscape. Health insurance companies are looking to pharmacies, home health agencies, and urgent care clinics to support them in tracking the health of their populations. Employers and benefit managers are looking to screening and wellness companies to support them in efforts to keep their workforces healthy,” Cliffe said.
To be successful in 2022, we must truly become a Customer First organization. And that will take everyone, in every department, taking accountability for how that is accomplished.
“Accountability means that we have to approach our day-to-day challenges with an attitude of “How can I make this work?” We have to move away from a flat “No” to a customer request toward a “No, but here is one way to solve X…” We may not always be able to accommodate every request in precisely the way it’s framed by the customer. If we take the time to fully understand their goals and intentions, we may be able to come up with a better solution than what they requested,” David said.
Cliffe added:
“Our success depends on each of us doing everything we can to make sure that the customer feels important and appreciated. Every single employee can have an impact on this, directly or indirectly. Making customers feel appreciated has nothing to do with getting them a bigger discount or giving them something for free, it has to do with offering them support in achieving their own goals.”
International Distributor Meeting at Medica
On November 17th we hosted our International Distributor Meeting in Düsseldorf, Germany. Representatives from Mexico, the United Kingdom, Japan, Italy, Russia, and more joined us to hear the latest organizational news about PTS Diagnostics. This meeting was two years in the making as COVID-19 rocked all parts of the globe, creating travel restrictions that prevented us from visiting many of our long-term international partners. But this year, we were finally able to dust off our passports, and pack up our masks and COVID vaccination cards, as the green light was given to travel to Düsseldorf where the 2021 Medica Trade Fair was taking place.
Medica, is the world’s largest trade fair for medical technology, laboratory equipment, diagnostics, and pharmaceuticals. Each November, medical companies from all parts of the world gather to visit exhibitors from more than 50 countries, displaying their latest innovations.
This year our parent company, Sinocare, hosted an exhibition that included our portfolio of point-of-care solutions. The Sinocare team took pride in sharing our technology with Medica attendees, and it was great for our PTS team to reconnect with them as the partnership between our two companies grows.
Our PTS International Sales team—led by David Brandt, Andrew Greaves, and Marco Carriço— were finally able to gather face-to-face for the first time in two years, making this trip even more special. The annual Medica trade fair attendees who came to Düsseldorf also included many of our long-term international customers. It spoke volumes that amidst a pandemic and difficult travel circumstances, many of our key international partners still made the effort to join us in Germany for an invitation-only meeting.
The PTS International Distributor Meeting’s main objective was to reaffirm that PTS Diagnostics continues to be a main player within the point-of-care diagnostics industry due, in large part, to the loyalty and support that our International Distributors have shown to us. Central topics such as the introduction of Jonathan Chapman as our President & CEO, IVDR, the state of business with Sinocare, and new marketing tactics were shared throughout the day.
One of the highlights of the meeting was a presentation by Jules Payne, CEO at Heart UK—The Cholesterol Charity. Her organization’s primary aim is to encourage people to know and understand their cholesterol and lipid levels, but also how to take the appropriate action to maintain their health.
As a key opinion leader, she shared her insights on how point-of-care testing is changing the cholesterol testing landscape around the world. Ms. Payne spoke about Heart-UK’s future goal to complete 30,000 child/parent cholesterol tests over the course of the next two years. To help that lofty goal become a reality, they plan to use vaccine centers and pharmacies as prime locations to facilitate these tests with the use CardioChek Plus.
Her presentation resonated with many of our distributor groups who said they felt inspired and had their own intentions to seek out with community-based organizations who they could help further facilitate the important mission for expansive cholesterol testing.
When asked how he felt the meeting went, David Brandt, Senior Director of International Sales said, “After such a long period of time distant from them (the distributors), I know they appreciated us hosting a face-to-face meeting where we could exchange dialogue and be transparent about current events occurring within our organization.”
Marco Carriço pointed out that we also successfully met one of company’s strategic pillars, “Exceed Customer Expectations” by facilitating this important business meeting where knowledge and ideas were shared.
And Senior Director of International Strategic Accounts, Andrew Greaves, stated, “The distributor meeting was extremely well received by all. The meeting reflected positively for the future of PTS and our products.” Having the ability to host business meetings with our customers and partners in-person allows our organization to strengthen that personal link our company strives for with every sale, customer service call, and analyzer shipped.”
We are grateful for our distributors who took the time to invest in traveling to Düsseldorf this past November and already look forward to gathering with them again in 2022.
Product Highlight: Sinocare Competitive Testing
By Shelby Smiley, Technical Support Specialist
When working at PTS Diagnostics it becomes easy to develop a passion for your own products. Both CardioChek® and A1CNow® have proven vital components in testing at the POC and OTC level. However, to reach maximum market visibility and compete against leading point of care companies, PTS must not limit themselves to internal margins.
Exceptional growth in the medical device industry does not happen between four walls, but through collaboration and competition. Competitive testing provides a way for PTS to determine where current products fall short and fill those gaps with either new products or improvements. Collaboration with Sinocare allows for hands-on testing to assess each other’s products in efforts to expand our portfolios.
Director of Global Product Management, Mark Duncan states, “[expanding our portfolio] may help us grow in hard to penetrate international markets or expand our offerings in existing markets.”
Sinocare sent PTS Diagnostics three different analyzers: the PCH-50 Portable Glycosylated Hemoglobin Analyzer (PCH-50), iCARE-2100 – Portable Automatic Multi-Function Analyzer (iCARE), and Advanced Glycation End Products Fluorescence Detector (AGEscan). Technical Support Associate, Kaddy Davis, and Technical Support Specialist, Shelby Smiley, developed and executed a protocol to compare these analyzers to the CardioChek Plus and A1CNow+ analyzers. The PCH-50 was compared to the A1CNow+, while the iCARE was compared to both the CardioChek Plus and the A1CNow+. The AGEscan is quite different from the current repertoire housed at PTS. Instead of lipids or HbA1C results coming from blood/serum samples, AGEscan focuses a beam of light on the lens of your eye to measure autofluorescence, produced by fluorophores, and provide a ratio value found to increase with age [1]. These fluorophores are associated with complications of diabetes and the competitive study protocol sought to compare these results with participants’ HbA1C and glucose in efforts to analyze correlation.
Aside from analytical results, the competitive testing lends PTS the ability to compare other aspects of the products such as ease of use, price, and feasibility in new and existing markets.
“We have a potential opportunity to bring additional value to our customers if the Sinocare products align well with unmet market needs,” adds Duncan.
Four walls may limit growth in the medical device industry, but collaboration and competition prove invaluable to future endeavors.
1. Burd, J., et al., Simultaneous noninvasive clinical measurement of lens autofluorescence and rayleigh scattering using a fluorescence biomicroscope. J Diabetes Sci Technol, 2012. 6(6): p. 1251-9.
PTS Employee Spotlights
Annie Vu
Sr. R&D Scientist, Sunnyvale
When did you join PTS? January 2014
Name three hashtags that describe you: #LoveMyChildren #LoveCycling #CookingIsMyPassion
Favorite place to “get away”: Beaches whereas you can enjoy ocean breeze and watching sunset and sunrise that like heaven.
Best part about your job at PTS? Allowing my daughter to stay. For example, her school had a gas leak, so I ended up bringing her to work. While it doesn’t happen often, it feels great having her around while I work.
Secret Talent? Green thumbs.
Favorite part about working at PTS? The people here are like family. We spend more time with our colleagues than our own family, which just brings us closer together. When we have any crisis that arises, it’s always nice to know we come together to solve the problem.
One thing you cannot resist? Not sitting still.
Best advice you have ever been given? Happiness is not something that can be found by simply looking for it, it’s a mood you create by being positive and seeing the glass as half full instead of half empty.
Don Bellissimo
Corporate Accounts Director
When did you join PTS? September 30, 2013
Name three hashtags that describe you: #Father #LoveTravel #LivingTheDream
Favorite place to “get away”: Anywhere tropical.
Best part about your job at PTS? Always changing, never monotonous.
Secret Talent? Fixing broken hotel rooms to look like nothing ever happened!
Favorite part about working at PTS? Enjoy working with the friends that I’ve made throughout my years at PTS.
One thing you can’t resist? Difficult to resist a good time with friends!
Best advice you have ever been given? “Choose your battles and don’t sweat the little stuff!”
Jessica Leigh Gahimer
HR Generalist
When did you join PTS? August 23, 2021
Name three hashtags that describe you: #Reader #Writer #MusicLover
Favorite place to “get away”: Getting lost in a good book 🙂
Best part about your job at PTS? Having the opportunity to meet/interact with a diverse group of individuals through recruiting/interviewing.
Secret Talent? I have a knack for remembering birthdays – I see numbers when I see people!
Favorite part about working at PTS? (See “Best Part” above)
One thing you can’t resist? Brownies!
Best advice you have ever been given? Approach every interaction with kindness first!
Serina Mason
Customer Service Manager
When did you join PTS? May 2014
Name three hashtags that describe you: #Caring #Hardworking #Dedicated
Favorite place to “get away”: The beach.
Best part about your job at PTS? Assisting customers and resolving issues.
Secret Talent? Hair stylist.
Favorite part about working at PTS? Working with great people!
One thing you can’t resist? Chocolate.
Best advice you have ever been given? Whatever you do- give it 100%.
Quarterly Question
The BEST way to spend a Saturday in December is…?
If we’re snowed in – hot apple cider with spiced rum!
So my favorite thing to do on a typical first Saturday of December is to bake all of our family Christmas cookies. My kids, parents, sister and I bake up several batches of our family cookies and fudge. We make several batches of about 5 different cookie types each year, along with several batches of chocolate fudge. After all the baking is done, we do a “family” event in the evening. It varies each year, Newfields or Conner Prairie; but this year, we’re heading to the drive in movie theater to see A Christmas Story and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
My favorite thing to do is wake up early and sit next to the glowing Christmas tree while I have my morning coffee.
I like to bake with my family listening to 98 Degrees or NSYNC Christmas music.
Other than work diligently for PTS… I love to duck hunt.
Spend time with family.
Sitting with his dog dixie on the couch with an adult beverage.
Walking my huskies Milo and Shilo.
My favorite thing to do in December is to bust out my favorite mug and sip on some hot chocolate with loads of marshmallows and a candy cane to stir it all up! For some reason, this combination just feels right during this time of the year.
Think of reasons to procrastinate on putting up decorations.
Watch a Christmas movie with the kids!
Watch Christmas movies while drinking hot chocolate.
Cold weather camping in a tent.
I LOVE to wrap presents!! I crank up the holiday music, pour a mug of eggnog (maybe add a little something) and start wrapping! My goal is to make each present look like it is professionally wrapped!!!
Pre-Covid- I’d be looking forward to Christmas, taking some time off, and hanging out with family and friends throughout the month. Now?- looking forward to Spring time.
Drive through neighborhoods and look at Christmas lights with my grandkids.
I like to knit scarves and hats while watching Christmas movies.
Bake with a glass of wine.
Celebrate my daughter’s birthday!
Watch Christmas movies and football by the Christmas tree with a roaring fire!
Shopping at the mall.
A typical day in December means shorter days and longer nights. So I often find myself getting to bed early for more zzzzz’s but it doesn’t really work that way for me. Once I have my hours in, I wake up. So this boring scenario creates extra time in the am for absolute silence in the house that I love. Double down on the coffee, turn on the Christmas tree and more time to ponder all things before work. When I leave for the day, the plan is in place.
Sipping wine by the fire.
Staying warm!!
Skiing!
I love to go shopping to Von Maur. They’re store is always so pretty for Christmas with the decorations and the pianist. All of course with a special afternoon coffee.
I think what I look forward to is getting out with Emma to snow-shoe after the first big snowfall of the season.
Listen to Christmas songs on 105.7!!
Walking our rescue dogs Molly and Papi.
Dream of spring.
Enjoying holiday songs and movies. Sledding. Hot chocolate with coffee creamer and marshmellows!
Watch professional football and college basketball with friends and family.
Spend at least one day with my big family, all together cooking, playing, watching tv, hugging my nephews, going out side to play some sports or just for a walk.
Bake Christmas cookies and listen to Christmas music. Also watch White Christmas.
I love attending my annual Mensa club meeting. Especially this year when I will be featured as a guest lecturer on the value of diversity in the workforce.