Fighting Obesity

There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that too many Americans are overweight. Is there a way for a DME/HME dealer to lead the battle against obesity?

Yes! You help your customers struggling with their weight and at the same time build your company. Here is one way to easily accomplish it. It takes time and planning to get all the different people and tools together to work this but the reward will be great.

An idea came to a DME owner who saw there was an evening course given at the local college about “diet and weight.” He made it a point to meet the lecturer. She was a dietitian and when asked if she would like to participate in the program he was planning, she jumped at the opportunity! The dietician thought working with his program, instead of 25 people attending her lectures, she could double that number.  The second person he invited was a popular physician who was delighted to be solicited.  Again, the doctor felt that “word of mouth” after participating would reflect well for him and he would be able to help more people in need. Finally, he spoke with the sales representative for the line of scales sold in his store.

The plan was for a Saturday morning. The sales rep spoke to his company and they decided that since the dealer was ordering two-dozen scales, they offered to bring several others, which included a physician’s scale.

Together they chose the day. They called it “FIGHT OBESITY DAY.” Announcements were sent to all the physicians, VNAs, church groups, etc. The local newspaper was invited and they sent a photographer. More than 80 people attended. The lecturers were superb and the Q & A period after each speaker proved very interesting.  

Other activities could include giving out meal plans, blood sugar and blood pressure testing, raffles that included exercise equipment, and discounted memberships to local fitness centers.  There are so many healthy options and you can really get creative!

That day, they sold many scales and also one physician unit. He told me he plans to offer an “obesity day” program at least once a year. There were many other items sold that day which would help the customers in their battle with obesity. It was a banner day!  

Through Shelly's Spectacles: Medtrade 2012 Consumer Advocacy

Since the very first exhibition held in Atlanta some 33 years ago, I have had the good fortune to watch and see how Medtrade has grown and expanded. There has never been a venue where DME/HME providers could attend and then return home filled with so many good ideas and opportunities.

I will share my thoughts for those who missed Medtrade and also add to what the attendees participated in the next blog or two. This year was a giant step forward for all of the participants as well as the industry: CONSUMER ADVOCACY!

Prior to cutting the ribbon for the opening of the exhibition there was a meeting of the “Power for Funding” committee, Congressman Tom Price (R-GA) spoke about the bill he has introduced for MPP (we must all work to get this through Congress) to replace the existing Competitive Bid legislation.

Show Director Kevin Gaffney then opened the hall and many of us headed directly to the Advocacy Pavilion. Every comment I heard about this was a “thank you” for setting aside the space and allowing this to be built. Yes, it was that impressive.

A bit about the pavilion. In the educational Learning Destination feature called "Homecare Works! The Path to Better Affordable Healthcare."  It was full-scale home display with four lovely docents walking groups of attendees though and explaining each of the displays.  In the home, each room included products from various manufacturers in the setting they would actually be used.  As a reward at the end of the tour, they were offered a “hot dog” with trimmings. The backside of this exhibit had very important Consumer Advocacy associations present, each there to explain their role.  To name a few: United Cerebral Palsy, Shepherd Center, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Muscular Dystrophy Association, COPD and others.

The major sponsor in building the Advocacy Pavilion was MK Battery. Philips Respironics and others joined Medtrade with them. When I saw how these companies and their staffs worked so closely together, I can state unequivocally that the future of our industry is superb. I must add my thank you for all that MK Battery has accomplished in the last few years. They made this Advocacy Day a success.

Wayne Merdinger, VP, MK Battery told me this is part of their effort to bring together more cooperation between providers and consumer advocacy associations. Keith Durni on behalf of Philips Healthcare echoed the same.

I recommend that every DME/HME provider offer “Consumer Advocacy Days” in their community. By building this, you will help make some great solutions locally. Your customers can join us in the efforts to bring the MPP legislation to Congress and get it passed. Yes, our industry has a lot at stake. We must be successful! Please follow the leaders, your state and national associations.

Help for Small Business

I do not like to use the term “small business”.  The average DME/HME location may not have the same volume as does a Target or a WalMart, but for the principal, it is still a “very large” operation. The owner's family and the employees all depend on its success to maintain their way of life!

This makes the average DME/HME location into a big business because they have a following of clientele and customers who depend on them.

Recently, there was an interesting article in my local newspaper about entrepreneurship. It listed some programs available when you seek help. As the economy of the United States has started back on the road to recovery these sources can be of great value. When I had my company, I was able to get some very excellent advice through SCORE. The personnel of SCORE are all retired, very successful business executives.

As I met with them, I showed every segment of my operation and told them how much money I was seeking. After the SCORE counselor studied each facet of how we function, he assisted me in obtaining a bank loan.

Today, there are also more than 1,000 Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) throughout the country. Their counselors are available to provide free one-on-one sessions with you. They will also help develop a new business plan, help manage your accounting and give advice for marketing.

This free service is available for every DME/HME provider. You should contact SBDC so they can help you develop new approaches.

This year at Medtrade (10/16-10/18) there will be many opportunities and experts to help you find answers. The economy is getting brighter and it is your turn to be in the forefront!

Yes, there is a lot of help available for your business. Take advantage of the opportunity. This year Medtrade is the best place to get answers. Come prepared and learn how to attain every one of your goals. 

Communication

I often write about the importance of communication. I spoke about this in my blog called “Monday Morning”, because that is when I find my e-mail box full (I receive more than 135 messages daily).  Reading these starts my day in a most positive fashion.

"Communication" is a difficult term to explain. To me it is simply means “passing information” from one to another. We are in the health care provision segment of the industry and all of us face similar problems. When we talk or write to peers our communication messages normally are telling how we have coped with difficulties. Topics range from Medicare, family caregivers, customers, staff and any or everything that happens every day.

In the nearly 35 years I have been attending the Medtrade Exhibitions it has invariably been the venue where “communication rules”. I walk the floor and speak to as many providers possible and what I learn is amazing. Providers in California and Maine all have answers they share with how they approached and resolved a problem. They, at opposite ends of the country, responded to the same nuisance in a different fashion and have good results.

Whether you stroll the exhibition floor, attend a seminar, a lecture or participate in the multitude of activities available at Medtrade this year in Atlanta, come prepared with a pen and paper pad, laptop, or iPad. Don’t trust your memory to recall all the information that passes from one to another. Write things down. Last year I spoke with two different providers, one from Missouri and the other from Alabama. Each had a small recorder and recorded everything I they heard of value for their company.

When you return home, you will be able to remember much of the communication. Armed with that information you will be able to put into effect many new changes. This is when you realize that Medtrade is a most important opportunity to communicate with peers and educators.

Do it now! Part Two

You took a giant step forward when you hired a new salesperson. Now is when you can also make the changes in your operation that you have always thought about. I say: “do it now.”

In many of the conversations I have held with DME/HME providers in the past few months I am told about the changes they contemplate. Obtaining new fixtures, adding additional lighting, building a model bedroom or bathroom, Home Tele-health, and of course, hiring another person. I am hearing a great deal of talk, but need to see more action.

Now, as the economy of the United States is slowly turning positive, you must make every effort to get a bigger piece of the action. All your ideas for expanding, adding additional staff and becoming more aggressive must now become alive. Do It Now!

Look at the advertising the major marketers are currently doing. They are all going after the larger OTC cash sales. The automobile manufacturers are spending more dollars offering their larger vehicles. According to the financial experts, these sales are growing at a much more rapid pace. This is another reflection of how the economy is starting to turn upwards. The challenge is to see how quickly you can bring your company and team into the fray and bring the community back into your showroom.

Plan which new items or programs would be practical in your market. Prepare to develop more “open house” days and to make these successful, do them in cooperation with your vendors. They will be very helpful in making these “open hoses” more attractive.

Bring your “I want” and your “I need” list as well as some key employees with you to Medtrade. It is only a few weeks away in Atlanta.   

I'm not the only one with this "just do it" mentality, check out this inspiring video from Art Williams and his famous Just Do It speech!

On the exhibition floor at Medtrade 2012 this October, you will find many new opportunities and ideas to help you accomplish your goals. Give your staff members a list of seminars to attend. Speakers, leaders and educators are preparing to bring with them a plethora of tools for you! So “do it now.” Register attendance for your staff members to accompany you to Medtrade. 

Get Connected and Unite the Industry:

Register for Medtrade 2012:  www.medtrade.com

Follow Medtrade on Twitter: www.twitter.com/medtradeconnect

"Like" Medtrade on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/medtrade

Connect with us on LinkedIn by joining the HME Network Group: http://www.linkedin.com/groups/HME-Industry-Network-1225227/about

Reputation is Everything!

The one thing which must be protected, no matter what may happen, is your good name. Your reputation within your community is why you are recognized. As the principal of a DME/HME company you must never allow anything to besmirch it.

We are known and recognized by success. This is earned by participation and accomplishment. When I travel, I enjoy visiting DME/HME providers. I always have been welcomed and made to feel like a special guest. Invariably the best ones have a sterling reputation in their community. Success and reputation go together like a hand in a glove.

These dealers may be active members of the Chamber of Commerce and belong to a civic club such as Rotary. They are stalwarts in their church, belong to the PTA (even though their children are adults) or sponsor a sports team (bowling, little league).

We met an old friend from California at a previous Medtrade Exhibition. He told me he writes a “good health” article for the Sunday edition of the local paper. All these are building blocks for your company.

Not maintaining your good name could be very risky. You can do ninety-nine things wonderfully and get loads of accolades but if you make one small mistake that is all everyone will remember.

There are many things one can do to build a good reputation, but the one caveat is be very careful not to make a misstep which will destroy all the good you do!

Looking for a Loan?

I am aware that obtaining a bank loan today can be rather difficult. But we read in the newspapers that banks are currently sitting on many dollars and they appear to enjoy counting them every day! It has now become difficult for a DME/HME provider to get a loan from a bank. In their minds, many dealers may fail or reduce the size of their operation because of “Obama Care.” (I use the term “Obama Care” since that is what it is called on the TV or in the newspapers). The loan officers are hesitant and think it will be very detrimental to small business. I have studied this and have also watched what has happened in Massachusetts. I now feel this presents a major opportunity for DME/HME providers. “Obama Care” is far from perfect. It has many problems, but I believe they will be  corrected. Look back to when FDR established Social Security and note the many changes made over the years. Then think about LBJ and Medicare. This legislation is going through all types of alterations, but by and far, it has done much good. So with the economy starting to return back slowly, but optimistically, the real entrepreneurs are featuring new OTC cash sales in their operations. Smart business people developing more over the counter cash sales opportunities! These DME/HME providers are all looking for new ones when they go to Medtrade this October. But what we seem to be missing is co-operation from the banks. I wonder why? Having spoken to several loan officers, both at big and small banks, I want to tell this to you. When you recognize that your direction must change with this new economy, then you will be taking a giant step in the right direction. That is what they like to hear. You are going to after a large piece of the burgeoning new market. Your plan is to hire another employee or two! They will be out selling emergency and first aid supplies everywhere people gather or shop in your town. It’s the law! It is important to keep your company name in front of the community. To  accomplish this you will need additional funds. Where should you find them? From your bank!  You sell medical supplies, the banks sell money. I spoke with a number of loan officers. What should you tell them? Keep it simple and short. Ask for a sufficient amount of money. Prepare a good business plan showing exactly how the money will be used. Be sure you bring a current financial statement, prepared by your CPA. What the bank officer will  see is how your company has fared the past few years. They want to be satisfied that when they provide the requested funds there will be sufficient new income to meet your goals and repay the bank. There is a lot more, but this is usually how negotiations start.  Make that first step and get your plans for the future launched. Come to Medtrade prepared to locate every new opportunity that is offered and will fit within your operation. www.medtrade.com Let me know your thoughts on this topic!  I would love to hear from you!  shelly.prial@att.net

Odds & Ends

So many things are happening, and so quickly that I think today I will just ruminate.

There was a most interesting article in the WSJ a few days ago, about senior citizens. It appears that today Americans are living much longer. We are approaching the age of 82, not 65, as it was when the SS regs were published.

This being the case, may I suggest that every DME/HME provider try to reach to them more promptly. Belonging to clubs like Rotary or Kiwanis is very important. I visit many clubs and see that in my mid 80s I am not unique. Arrange to speak at a churchmen’s or ladies club meeting, visit the schools and other places where seniors gather.  Do not go as a salesman; go offering ideas and ways to maintain one’s life style. Today the seniors have more discretionary dollars in their pockets than previously, so cater to them!

I receive the e-mails from a large number of state DME associations, the ones they send to their members. They do a superb job of addressing all the legislation and other problems. It is so important to follow their leads and ideas. If you are not a member of your state and national associations, you should be. The information they send will help you remain solvent and continue to grow.

I see that so many state associations are holding their annual meetings in the next few months. Be sure you are there. The speakers and vendors who support them need to speak with you. So much is accomplished at these and you find true peers to work with there.

I am already making preparations to attend the Fall Medtrade Exhibition in Atlanta. This is the culmination of the efforts made on your behalf by an entire industry! No DME/HME provider should miss Medtrade this year. It is going to be the most important Medtrade ever! You will find many new ideas with which to build sales, increase profits, and to open new doors like home tele-health. I will be there, will you?

You can make a difference!

I saw a quote from Elbert Hubbard, an American author born in 1859. It is so appropriate today that I felt you also must see it: “The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can’t be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it.”

Interesting that in 1859 citizens faced similar difficulties to what we do today. Things happen so quickly that by the time a dealer has adjusted to one, another appears. In the past 62 years many opportunities and difficulties have risen to the surface and I have watched how dealers get things done. The entrepreneurs adjust while the others are thinking, “what should I do.”

Via these blogs I have been showing original marketing ideas that DME/HME dealers have shared with me. One of the reasons I stroll the show room floor at Medtrade is to greet and chat with attendees. What has always fascinated me is how so many have coped with change. I report these in my blogs and will continue to do so. Please feel free to e-mail (shelly.prial@att.net) some of your accomplishments so that other DME/HME dealers will see them. In this fashion you will make a difference.

When I speak to dealers I always ask if they belong to their state and national associations. Invariably the answer is “yes, we do!” Yet it appears far too many DME/HME dealers do not. There are two national associations, AAHomecare and NAIMES, as well as the state DME associations. A dealer may think, “well it’s OK because they work for me whether I belong or not.” I have heard that comment often. It is wrong! You can make a BIG difference when you belong to your state and national associations. Your dollars will make them much more effective and maintain you in business!

When I discuss this with accountants or attorneys, they all agree that membership is a normal cost in operating a business. They indicate very specifically without the support and work these associations do on your behalf, you might find yourself forced to close. Make a difference¡ If you are not currently a member, please become one and then solicit the other providers and dealers you know to get on board. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Doing What Comes Naturally

I have had the pleasure of meeting so many DME/HME providers in my 60 odd year career.  When we speak, I usually ask about the way they approach the market in their hometown. The answers I receive are all basically they same.  They are doing what comes naturally.

There are no secrets to becoming a good marketer! Although you may not think that you are a good marketer, the truth is that you really are good.

All markets must be approached as if they are unique. In a small town or village, the competition usually is not a major department store or supermarket. There, you are an integral part of the community. You belong to the local business club, church and went to the local school. You are doing what comes naturally, speaking, promoting and participating. All of this reflects as your business grows.

As the size of a market expands, the competition becomes more apparent, then one has to approach things differently. Everything you do is to keep you company name recognized. A DME/HME dealer in Maryland sponsored a baseball team and that was good enough to be invited to participate in a major Little League competition upstate N.Y. One entrepreneur belongs to a Rotary Club and his location became the source of tickets to their various fund-raising activities. Another organized a bowling tournament which has been active for almost 20 years.

A dealer in southern Illinois hires a big horse-drawn wagon to carry neighbors “apple knocking” every fall. These trips have sent loads of people picking apples and he said the cost is minimal for his company.  In California, way up in the mountains, that local DME/HME provider gives a “good health” chat on a local radio station and it has been expanded to local TV. 

By doing these things, they each have developed a large following and a nice ROI. All of the efforts I mentioned are providers “doing what comes naturally.” You, too, can do it!

Customer Service

This morning I received a call from an old friend, a DME provider in Vermont. One of his customers rented a hospital bed for their mother. He reviewed all the instructions with her, but he got the impression that she was not at ease. 

The next afternoon he picked up the phone just to see if every thing was satisfactory. They were on the phone for more than twenty minutes!

In the morning her husband stopped by the showroom to express his appreciation for that phone call. He said his wife was concerned she would not be capable of giving her mother the attention and care she needed. However, after that conversation with the owner, his wife relaxed and lost the trepidation she had. His “thank you” was worth a million dollars. This is customer service.

So what is customer service? It is something that you and all your employees have to comprehend. It is a smile, a cheerful hello and listening. Always allow your customer to take the lead when they come to shop. They will tell you what they came for so you can satisfy their need. The customer must ask and you must listen. In a previous blog I wrote about an aggressive salesperson and how a sale was lost. A soft approach is always effective.

I know several DME proprietors who ask at  their staff meetings ask one of their sales people to speak about an experience with a customer. His team learns from one another and his business continues to grow. Word of mouth from satisfied customers is the best advertising you can earn! This is what happens when your company staff understands customer service.

Cash Sales Promotion and Focus!

Medtrade October 15-18

The market is dramatically changing; DME/HME providers and dealers are seeking OTC cash sale opportunities. They can no longer depend on CMS, Medicare or Medicaid. So, the folks at Medtrade are guiding the exhibitors to make cash sale programs an important part of their displays.

This need for cash sales is so important that Medtrade is setting aside 4,500 square feet of the exhibition floor as a HOME & RETAIL DESIGN CENTER. Do you realize how big this space is? You can definitely expect to see many new ideas and products!  You can also read more here: Click Here

You must keep all your Medicare and Medicaid customers. Experience has taught us they all have family caregivers who are looking for comfort items to allow them to maintain their own domicile. We are very aware that most Medicare clients have disposable dollars in their pockets and are looking for the same products. I know this is true because at more than 85 years old, I attend many meetings and speak to all my cronies. Finding comfort items is always a topic.

A couple of weeks ago I received a call from a dealer in Ohio. I was told his company sponsored a discussion on “Caring for the Elderly, Mom and Pop.”  He invited two local physicians to speak. They each delivered a brief message. The rest of the allotted time was spent answering questions from the audience. I was told that the response to this was fantastic. He felt that scheduling it from 9:00 AM until noon was sufficient.  He plans to do it again. He also invited many of his vendors to set up small displays with samples and hand-outs. Did this pay off? Yes!

Let this be your guide to many new sales and additional profits. At Medtrade you can arrange with the manufacturers for their aid in doing a promotion along these lines. Plan to visit the Home and Retail Design center and be sure that many of your staff as possible will view the same. 

I recommend that you make the investment necessary to bring staff members to Medtrade. Experience has shown us that there is a very large ROI (return on investment) when you bring them with you. 

Americans with Disability Act

A.D.A.

There is a great deal of magic in these three letters, A- D- A. Magic that can open new doors of opportunities for DME/HME providers. They bring you stepping-stones into a large market filled with potential new sales.

I was reminded of this when I had lunch yesterday with an old friend who built a most successful DME location in his hometown. He accomplished this because he recognized that A.D.A. (Americans with Disability Act) opened a door to not only perform a service in his community, but to become a lucrative source of new sales and profits.

The revised standards in the Federal Register for A.D.A. took effect in March 2011. I can write pages on this topic. I refer to it as the key to new OTC cash sales. No paper work, just some meeting, speaking, explaining and solicitation by you and your team. 

Contact your senator or representative in Washington and ask to speak with the HLA (health legislative assistant). Tell the HLA who you are, how much you appreciate the legislators support, and then ask if they would please get you a copy of ADA requirements.  They will do so cheerfully.

Wherever people gather, whether in a stadium, movie house, hotel, restaurant, school or house of worship, you can supply the things necessary to conform to this act. They must maintain certain supplies for accidents or emergencies. That is the law!

What makes this so exciting is that your company can provide them with the required products. You and your sales team have to make the rounds.  Identify all of the opportunities.  Be a member of the Chamber of Commerce.

Your preferred vendors will give you handouts and other necessary material to develop these new sales. If you knock on doors, write to the newspapers, look for all the exposure possible, not only will you develop new cash sales (thank you ADA) but also solidify your reputation in the community. 

What do you say?

A few dealers have contacted me to ask what they should tell their customers about the Competitive Bid Proposal. I have told them that a conversation with their customers and their family caregivers can be a vital step, which you can take to defeat the bid proposal. It is imperative you get all your patients, family caregivers, and customers to contact their elected officials in DC to help defeat the “bid”. 

The best answer I can think of is to ask them if they would like to have a physician assigned to them to provide medical care that was the “lowest bidder?” The answer invariably is “of course not.” But this is what would happen if this legislation were passed to obtain their supplies.

Where CMS had the trial runs the problems were vast and the complaints rather caustic. Many patients were forced to travel a long distance for their supplies. They did not receive the personal touch and comfort that they were used to with their current provider. They really had little choice! Family caregivers no longer had a friend who worked with their relative. That is a big deal for the patient’s comfort.

Then there is much difficulty for the patient to get service, not a delivery or pick-up but also where to get repairs, ask questions and have their minds put at ease. Often patients had to go to more than one provider because many items were not available in a single location.

When working with your state and national association all of these can be avoided. They will give you the necessary tools! They will provide you with the answers. They will tell you which senator or representative to call. You will get the guidance necessary. As a result of good team effort, the Competitive Bid Proposal would disappear.

Check out this great video from The People for Quality Care that sums it up pretty nice...  Your customers deserve better!

Be a Joiner!

There are many ways to become better known in your community and in this fashion earn recognition for your company. All of the many groups you can consider joining can be a Rotary, Kiwanis or Lion club,  a school PTA or the library, just to identify some for you. Please become a member of these as an individual, not as your business and when you prove to be a “worker” that then reflects back to your company.

A DME/HME dealer I know in upstate New York founded a boy scout troop with his minister some years ago.  The church had large facility to hold the meetings and many scout activities. The troop grew and they developed a cub pack. Both grew and became well recognized in town.  Without ever mentioning his company his business grew. The community showed their appreciation by shopping at his home care location.

There also are very important business groups like the Chambers of Commerce. These are where you can become more well-known as Home Health Care provider where everyone knows your name.  Here you will find the Home Health Agencies and the Visiting Nurse Associations. You will also find that you will be sitting with executives from the local hospitals, MDs, pharmacists and other professionals. You have to join to know these people on a better level, as equals.

All of the above suggestions are to make your name and the name of your company recognized as an integral part of the community. It works!

But there are other associations, which you must join. You cannot protect your company alone! You need a strong army that will lead the battles with CMS, Medicare, Medicaid and everyone else who is your enemy. I am referring to the state DME and the national associations. Without their support you will not have the where-with-al to join anything. So I also ask that you contribute for your protection by joining! Without your dues they will be unable to maintain their efforts on your behalf. Become a JOINER!

The Family Caregiver

I have been preaching for many years the one most important contact a DME/HME dealer has is the family caregiver. Most senior citizens want to stay in their homes and maintain privacy. They do not wish to move in with their children. They also look aghast at most “senior citizen” and long or short term facilities.

So who really is the “family caregiver”?  It is a daughter or son, a grandchild, and often, a niece or a nephew. There is almost always a family member who will monitor Mom or Dad! The family caregiver will work very hard to see to it that they can find all the necessary comforts that are available. They do not want to see their parents institutionalized, nor do they wish to bring them into their own home.  They too, have a way of life and which must be protected.

As a DME/HME provider you have to recognize the role of the “family caregiver". Develop a new marketing plan, which will appeal to them. At the last Medtrade in Atlanta we spoke to several dealers about family caregivers and how to effectively work with them. Here is what I learned at the last Medtrade: prepare a list, by speaking with your customers, to determine who should be contacted on their behalf.

From this list you can then send regular, short e-mails, with ideas and thoughts about caring for the elderly. One dealer told us his company held an open house the last Saturday of the month. He invited RNs, PTs, MDs and vendor sales reps whose companies manufactured specialty comfort products to make presentations or set up exhibits. He told us the number of attendees increased each month.

The goodwill and new sales developed in this fashion meant new profits. Many of the exhibitors at Medtrade will provide you with tools to use in these programs. You will be very pleasantly surprised at the amount of material you can gather in a short time at Medtrade to make this an Open House a success.  Never forget the family caregiver.