Smart Talk

Q. How can I effectively communicate about inclusion in the workplace?   A. Using inclusive language in the workplace is one way to support your efforts to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive business.   Words are powerful. They have the power to not only describe our world—but also define it. One of the coolest things about English is its evolution. The English language is constantly changing, and just because we’ve said something one way for hundreds of years...

Q. Where do you see the future of interoperability?   A. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of interoperability in health care. With the sudden increase in telehealth appointments and remote patient monitoring, health care professionals who were or could quickly become interoperable were able to quickly adapt because they could exchange patient data seamlessly between different EHR systems. As a result, impact to patient care was minimized during a time of great strain.  Looking...

Q. How can I differentiate my retail space to highlight wound care products?  A. Expanding your retail presence can draw in new customers and differentiate your business from others in the market. As we see declining reimbursement, more home medical equipment providers are looking to expand their retail setting and diversify to cash sales. Most retail HMEs focus on mobility and safety; however, offering unique products that focus on health, wellness and preventative care brings value to your...

  Q. Once I have a strategic plan, how do I implement it?    A. I often see organizations devote time to strategic planning with everyone energized about the possibilities ahead and committed to new goals. Unfortunately, the daily demands of operating the business can interfere with the leader’s ability to implement their new plan. A few simple steps done at the beginning of the implementation phase lay the foundation for a successful implementation.    Begin...

Q. What is the difference between equity and equality? A. Today, the work toward creating more diverse and inclusive workplaces usually includes a discussion of equity, as well. This is why the vernacular shifted from “diversity and inclusion (D&I)” to “diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).” Equity and equality are two different concepts. Equality suggests the distribution of equal resources to everyone, whereas equity means resources are distributed based on what each...

Q. How does interoperability impact clinician or provider satisfaction? A. Interoperability, by definition, is the ability of different information technology systems to communicate and exchange data, and to use the information that has been exchanged. In health care, that means being able to share information seamlessly between different electronic health records (EHRs), hospital systems and other care providers. Accordingly, the impact of interoperability is significant. If only it were that easy. The...

Q. How can I create a successful wound care program? A. Wound care is expected to grow by up to 5.3% in the next few years, with the trend toward “hospital at home.” Is your HME company ready to meet the demand? Offering wound care dressings can differentiate your company from others; however, to implement a successful wound care program, it all starts with education.   Educate your staff It is important for your staff to be able to identify the various categories of dressings...

Q. What pitfalls should I avoid when creating a strategic plan? A. Once you’ve committed to a strategic planning session and have assembled the key stakeholders to engage in the process, there a few recommendations to keep the planning on track. Use the acronym FAR as a guide.   Focus A lack of focus can be disguised in many forms; examples include having too many goals and having ideas that are too big. Trying to accomplish too many goals leads to little progress on any of them....

Q. How can I be an authentic ally in the workplace?  A. We’ve already established the importance of building a diverse, equitable and inclusive (DEI) business. Ensuring you communicate effectively about DEI is the next step—and that starts with authenticity.   Authentic allyship occurs when your goal is to transfer the benefits of privilege to those who lack it. For example, your business may answer a request for volunteers or funds to assist a local nonprofit working...

Q. What are the different types of interoperability and their challenges?  A. There are four different types, or levels, of interoperability: foundational, structural, semantic and organizational. Each presents its own set of challenges, but when viewed collectively, it's clear why interoperability isn’t just a good idea, but a necessity.   The most fundamental level of interoperability is foundational interoperability, which refers to the ability of two or more systems...