January 10, 2023
Since joining The Craneware Group in 2022, Edgar Gonzalez has been busy soaking up information.
“There’s a lot of learning to do,” he said. “You have two companies that have come together, and there are two different cultures. And that’s interesting to me.
“The merging of these two companies results in a more diverse and agile workforce and creates more value and benefits for our customers.”
Gonzalez is The Craneware Group’s new 340B training manager. He oversees all customer training offerings available through the Sentry Success Community, including scheduled virtual training sessions on using 340B applications, one-on-one training, the Foundations program, and on-demand educational resources, and helps the team develop webinars.
Currently, he is undergoing a “train the trainer” program led by training specialists to familiarize himself with Sentinel, Sentrex and other 340B applications. From there, he will lead training sessions alongside his training specialists and continue with customer mentoring.
Backgrounds converge
Gonzalez has worked in healthcare for about 25 years. Before coming to The Craneware Group, he trained the sales staff of a healthcare technology and device company. Years before that, he worked with several 340B clinics as a consultant with the University of Texas Health Sciences Center.
Gonzalez has a strong educational background, having worked as an adjunct faculty instructor in the kinesiology department at Palo Alto Community College in San Antonio and having taught social work at Our Lady of the Lake University.
“For me, it’s about building knowledge and strength in the applications, and then utilizing those building blocks in the next thing that you’re doing,” he said. “Because life is not a linear path. It requires building relationships centered in trust and empathy, and really collaborating toward solutions with peers and customers.”
Gonzalez says The Craneware Group’s software training helps hospitals grappling with staffing volatility. Internal and external stakeholders can access instructor-led training, a “click and point” e-learning platform in 2023 for introductory courses for new hires, and more intensive one-on-one training with a specialist who can answer questions and help work through unique operational challenges through a consultative approach.
“I think that will help accelerate the learning curve for a lot of our users and ease the burden for the hospitals and covered entities working with our applications,” he said. “Learning is a journey and each of us learns in different ways, so offering live, instructor-led training, on-demand courses, guides and a hybrid of the learning methodologies provides a more engaged and satisfied customer.”
Next time you take a training course, don’t be surprised: Gonzalez is also inviting new hires at The Craneware Group to sit in on training sessions to help get up to speed more quickly on the 340B applications and be part of enhancing the customer experience.
“My role right now is centered on removing roadblocks for my team and finding more opportunities for our internal staff to collaborate and expand our footprint both within our community and externally to the rest of the 340B community,” he said.
Gonzalez has a bachelor’s degree in public administration from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, a master’s in education and human development from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and a PhD in organizational leadership from Our Lady of the Lake University.
He also has a background in rodeo, having ridden and trained horses for years in San Antonio’s and south Texas. While he no longer rides, he enjoys traveling and the outdoors. He and his wife reside in San Antonio.
Gonzalez offers a final thought: “Begin your day a with smile,” he said. “Be grateful for your challenges because those are just new opportunities to grow; and when the day is done leave with that same smile.”