Business Excellence: How Vertical Integration Puts the “Hero” in HeRO® Graft
At Merit, we incorporate additional value into every interaction across our organization. This means prioritizing business excellence each step of the way. From innovating high-quality products to providing exceptional customer service, we go above and beyond to show our healthcare partners our commitment to ongoing superior performance.
One aspect of our business excellence strategy is incorporating vertical integration into our processes wherever possible. Merit strives to own the company supply chain to minimize disruptions, maintain closer control over operations, and ultimately, ensure product reaches physicians to serve patients—when they need it.
We sat down with John Hall, Executive VP of Advanced Materials Technologies at Merit, to chat about how moving the process of making ePTFE in-house helps us supply physicians with the HeRO® Graft.
To help our readers understand, what is ePTFE and how is it used in medical products?
EPTFE, or expanded polytetrafluoroethylene, acts like the material of a rain jacket. It allows water vapor to pass through while remaining resistant to liquid water. The result is a breathable, tightly porous product.
Researchers discovered that ePTFE is also an excellent replacement for blood vessels in the body, as it’s inert and biocompatible. This ensures it can be implanted without significant inflammatory response. For these reasons, ePTFE is used to increase the performance of several Merit products, including the HeRO Graft.
What role does the HeRO Graft serve in treating patients?
The HeRO Graft provides hemodialysis access for patients with renal disease who are catheter-dependent or approaching catheter dependency due to the blockage of veins leading to the heart.
These patients deserve comfort and convenience to live their lives to the fullest. The HeRO Graft helps by reducing infection and improving dialysis adequacy. Because the HeRO Graft is implanted inside the body, it requires a material like ePTFE to be biocompatible.
Why did Merit decide to vertically integrate the production of ePTFE?
Six or seven years ago, we were outsourcing our supply of ePTFE through another company. Merit’s Chairman and CEO, Fred Lampropoulos, envisioned bringing production in-house in the event that supply chain disruptions interfere with our ability to provide this important product to patients in need.
As it turns out, during the process of starting our own production of the material, we did face a disruption. Thankfully, due to Fred’s foresight, we were able to continue manufacturing the HeRO Graft and other products using ePTFE.
Quality control was another major factor in our decision. When we’re the ones creating the material, we can more closely monitor output, helping to produce a superior product for patients.
How does this benefit our healthcare partners and their patients?
Bringing this process in-house allows us to deliver our products in a timelier manner—critical when you’re in the business of saving lives.
Producing our own ePTFE also allows us to innovate other products where the material could benefit the patient experience.
Discover more of our business excellence strategies, and learn how else we put our healthcare partners and their patients first.
Merit Medical Reaches Prime Status for ESG Initiatives
We’re proud to announce that Merit’s corporate rating from Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) has reached Prime Status. This great achievement recognizes companywide Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) efforts and shows we care how our business impacts the world around us.
What is ESG?
ESG is a collective framework that helps investors, customers, suppliers, and employees understand how a company is managing environmental, social, and governance factors. Examples of each include the following:
Environmental
Greenhouse gas emissions, management of natural resources, company climate-change risks, and waste recycling
Social
Fair wages; employee engagement; diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts; philanthropy; company impact on communities
Governance
Business ethics, how a company operates, structure of leadership, anti-corruption practices, board composition
What Is ISS?
ISS is the leading provider of corporate governance and responsible investment solutions. It utilizes third-party rating systems to understand how company ESG efforts perform compared to industry peers.
What Does Prime Status mean?
The rating ISS gives is similar to academic grading. A corporate rating at a C+ or higher is considered Prime Status. It shows that a company takes its responsibility of being a good corporate citizen seriously. Prime status also attracts new investors and employees who are looking to be involved with companies that show responsibility and dedication by achieving this status.
ESG Areas Where Merit Excelled
Our Prime Status accomplishment is largely due to excellent progress made in ISO 14001 (environmental management system), 45001 (managing occupational health and safety risks), and 50001 (improved energy use) certifications at Merit manufacturing sites.
These systems help our company care for the environment by using resources responsibly. They also enable us to look out for our employees better by having standards that put their health and well-being first.
Every day, our teams work to implement these ISO systems, making Merit facilities more sustainable and safer places to work.
Other ESG areas where we excelled:
• Social impacts of products and services
• Production processes
• Promotion of access to health in underserved regions
• Corporate governance and business ethics
We’re proud to stand alongside other noteworthy healthcare companies that have reached Prime Status and serve as a positive example to follow.
To learn more about how we strive to make a difference, read our latest sustainability report.
Merit Medical Partners with Jordan PREP, Expanding STEM Education to More Students
A significant part of Merit Business Excellence is giving back to the places we live and work to help our communities thrive. One way we do this is by investing in the next generation of innovators by strengthening programs that offer science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education to young people in local schools.
Each year, our Salt Lake Headquarters is proud to partner with Jordan PREP (Pre-freshman Engineering Program) to help make STEM education accessible to more students. The program has a special focus on reaching underrepresented students from Title 1 schools in the nearby Jordan School District.
The Importance of STEM Education
According to the US Department of Commerce, STEM workers are the foundation for driving our nation’s competitiveness by innovating new ideas, products, and companies. Employment in the STEM field is growing faster than non-STEM occupations at approximately 24% versus 4%. Additionally, STEM jobs are projected to grow by nearly 9% by 2024, whereas non-STEM occupations are expected to grow by only 6.4%. Research also shows that STEM employees earn 29% more income than non-STEM employees.
People who work in STEM are key to the ongoing growth of the US economy. However, US students on average are scoring below other countries in STEM-related subject areas. To help prepare students for success, Jordan PREP provides a cost-free, six-week summer program aimed at enhancing their analytical skills and fueling their motivation to pursue STEM careers.
What Is Jordan PREP?
Through donations from Merit Medical and The National Science Foundation, 151 students enrolled in the Jordan PREP program this year, held at the Jordan Academy for Technology and Careers North Campus within the Salt Lake Community College Jordan Campus.
Over the course of four consecutive summers, students are immersed in diverse coursework that includes the following:
- Engineering
- Problem solving
- Logic
- Physics
- Algebraic structures
- Computer science
- Statistics
- Technical writing
- Business
The curriculum also features guest speakers and field trips to inspire and motivate students with real-world experiences and examples of careers in STEM.
In their fourth year, students undertake a capstone project of their choice, designing solutions to real-world problems that resonate with them. Students also conduct research and present their findings to an evaluation panel.
For juniors and seniors, the PREP Plus program offers college-level studies at Salt Lake Community College, with a focus on earning a one-year degree in Engineering Technology that transitions seamlessly into a four-year bachelor’s degree prior to graduating.
Filling the Gap: Expanding Academic Performance
A risk for elementary school students is summer learning loss, widening the achievement gap between low-income children and their middle-income peers. Students who participate in Jordan PREP maintain and enhance their academic skills over the summer, entering the new school year with the knowledge they need to succeed in STEM classes.
Jordan PREP reports students showed an average growth of 66% in their summer classes. Students also showed proficiency gains, with 100% of the students improving in seven out of nine classes.
Expanding Confidence, Social Emotional Learning & Leadership
Jordan PREP offers counseling services in both individual and group settings, helping many students navigate personal challenges. Mindfulness activities are practiced as part of the program to equip students with lifelong tools to manage stress and anxiety.
Jordan PREP student surveys showed a 35% increase in confidence in STEM, 95% likelihood of entering a STEM career, and an overall satisfaction rate of 98%.
Proud Partners of Jordan PREP
At Merit, we’re honored to support a program that prepares STEM leaders of tomorrow with the tools they need to thrive and succeed.
“These students don’t just want to solve equations—they want to solve real-world problems and uplift their communities,” Jordan PREP explains. “They see themselves not just as students, but as future changemakers, working tirelessly to acquire the skills they need to make a real difference.”
We couldn’t be prouder of that.
Mike Voigt, Merit Medical Chief Human Resources Officer, Receives 2023 HR Achievement Award
At Merit Medical, we think of ourselves as one big family who takes care of each other, with our Human Resources team leading the way. Thanks to their efforts, we’re able to build a strong team of inspiring individuals who work hard to impact patient lives.
This year, our very own Chief Human Resources Officer Mike Voigt received the 2023 HR Achievement Award from Utah Business, recognized for going above and beyond to make Merit a positive workplace. We sat down with Mike to chat about the award, how he strives for excellence at Merit, and more.
Receiving the 2023 HR Achievement Award is a notable accomplishment; how does it feel?
It’s just a reminder to me of how fortunate I am to work with such a great organization and wonderful people. Without Merit or my colleagues, this recognition wouldn’t have happened.
Business excellence is at the heart of Merit. What does this look like for you as Chief Human Resources Officer?
For me, the pursuit of excellence is about ongoing forward progress. As long as we’re making continual improvement, helping our employees thrive—then this for me is excellence.
What’s your favorite part of being Chief Human Resources Officer?
It’s having the opportunity to work alongside the great employees of Merit, including our leadership team and our global HR team, all with the goal of finding ways to ensure our company continues to be a positive workplace for everyone.
You mentioned in your interview with Utah Business that empathy was key when caring for employees. How do you see Merit doing this as a company?
I remember interviewing for this position a few years ago, finding myself really attracted to the company because of the empathetic leaders with whom I met at the time—Merit Founder Fred Lampropoulos in particular. When he expressed to me the reasons behind why he started certain employee benefits, such as the on-site health clinic and garden—all ideas born from the challenges his own mother faced caring for her family when he was a child—I was convinced Merit was where I needed to be.
Who is a role model or mentor who really inspires you?
I’ve been fortunate to have worked for and with several great leaders over the course of my career, so it’s hard to choose just one. If I had to pick a role model, however, it would be my father. He was fiercely loyal to his family, and what he lacked in formal training and education, he more than made up for with hard work and determination. He was a great example to me of true servant leadership.
What’s your favorite way to spend your time when outside of the office?
My hobbies tend to evolve, but my family and I like to go down to Moab every chance we get and take advantage of the many outdoor activities we can do there. We tend to try and go every month or two.
Want to learn more? Explore how we’re fully committed to delivering excellence across all aspects of our business.
Merit Sensor’s Recycling Initiative Reduces Water Usage by 65%
An often unknown, but significant, branch of Merit Medical is Merit Sensor, a division responsible for creating silicon-based piezoresistive pressure sensors. These sensors, also known as MEMS pressure sensors, are used in multiple industries and are crucial to the function of many technologies. The challenge? Its on-site manufacturing requires a large amount of water.
A priority at Merit is to reduce overall water intensity through programs and initiatives that advance toward more efficient use. As part of these sustainability efforts, Merit Sensor implemented a water-conservation initiative that recycles approximately 65% of the water used in the manufacturing process.
“MEMS pressure sensors measure change in electrical resistance when pressure is applied. This regulation helps the final product work properly, keeping consumers safe,” explained Rick Russell, president at Merit Sensor. “They’re used in numerous medical devices but are also found in other industries, including transportation, industrial, and aerospace.”
Manufacturing MEMS pressure sensors requires large amounts of water. In particular, when etching silicon to produce the diaphragm, a part required to measure the pressure.
“There are acids and bases involved in this process,” Russell said. “Large quantities of wastewater result, and this water needs to be treated before discharged into the sewers.”
According to Russell, the first step in the recycling process is treating the wastewater to neutralize the acids and bases. The water is then passed through a reverse-osmosis system. This system forces the water through a semipermeable membrane to remove ions, resulting in clean water.
“The clean water is then transferred to another tank and recycled to make more MEMS pressure sensors,” Russell explains. “Any water discharge that can’t be reused is still cleaner, safer, and easier for the sewer to process.”
In past years, producing sensors required about 622,000 gallons of water per month on average. By recycling 65% of the wastewater, Merit Sensor’s new water-recycling initiative reduces that amount by more than 400,000 gallons per month.
Water conservation efforts are a community priority in Utah, where drought continues to impact the state. In response, Merit has looked for ways to reduce company water use. For example, the team at corporate headquarters set in motion a xeriscaping project that saves approximately four million gallons of water each year. Russell and his team at Merit Sensor believe water-saving initiatives are positive steps that will only lead to improved measures.
“We are currently working on upgrading the efficiency of this system to increase the amount of water recycled to ninety percent,” Russell said. “If the current system works well throughout the rest of this year, we will continue to look for more innovative ways to improve.”
At Merit, we understand and recognize our responsibility to the future by being a good corporate citizen. Explore more of our environmental sustainability efforts.