#IamMGH - Meet John Vittas

#IamMGH tells the stories of our people. Meet John Vittas, account manager for Plexxus, who works at Michael Garron Hospital (MGH).

“I joined MGH in 2011. As an account manager for Plexxus I am accountable for all supply chain streams provided by Plexxus within the hospital including sourcing materials, purchase orders and the movement of supplies.

When the hospital first started to put plans in place in preparation for COVID-19, we needed a ton of stuff and we needed it fast! The issue was the supply chain was severely strained. Everyone across the globe was vying for the same materials, from masks and gowns to hand sanitizer and wipes, in order to ensure the ongoing health and safety of staff, patients and the community.

Faced with this challenge we had to get creative. We had to begin to explore non-traditional suppliers to fulfil our needs.

We researched for hours on end. We began cold calling. We began new partnerships with new vendors. We no longer could rely on our traditional suppliers; we needed to cast a wider net.

Reflecting on my role at MGH, I love being able to problem solve and get materials and equipment in the hands of frontline providers, whether it’s to protect them, to make their jobs easier or to improve the patient experience.

Having an expertise in supply chain management I could work in just about any industry. That said I choose to work at MGH because of the people and the culture. We support one another, we work well together, we have open and inclusive relationships and we are innovators. These have been trying times but we have been able get through them together. I love my job and working at MGH”