Executive 'thrilled' to lead
By HME News Staff
Updated Tue June 30, 2009
Here's an excerpt from a long interview with new Sunrise Medical CEO Thomas Rossnagel, who took over the company's top spot in late May.
HME News: Where do you see the HME industry headed?
Thomas Rossnagel: This is very difficult to predict. A lot of things speak to the fact that there needs to be consolidation, especially when considering the overcapacity in our industry. This is something that has been discussed many times since I joined the industry over 13 years ago, and it has not happened yet on a broad scale. I assume that in the near to mid term it will be about staying very innovative and competitive to cope with the challenges on hand and ahead, while always keeping an eye on the consolidation opportunities that may arise.
HME: What do you tell providers trying to maneuver through a changing industry?
Rossnagel: My recommendation to providers is to focus more on total cost of ownership vs. pure purchase price. The cost of doing business for providers and manufacturers in a pretty mature market under continued funding pressure should be improved by such an approach. This requires partnerships that are open and truthful vs. traditional negotiations. Manufacturers in today's world cannot sell on “price”; they need to offer holistic business solutions to our network.
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