HOMES determines next steps 

ORONO, Maine – The board of directors of the Home Medical Equipment and Services Association of New England (HOMES) is considering restructuring the association in light of recent leadership transitions and the current environment.  

Since the passing of long-time President and CEO Karyn Estrella in 2019, HOMES has had two leaders, Jason Morin, now at Coloplast, and Cathy Hamilton. Hamilton, who led the association for two years, resigned to explore other opportunities in November. 

“We’re looking for a new (leader), but we’re also determining the best way to go forward,” said Skip Matthews, chairman of the HOMES board and owner and president of Louis & Clark Medical Equipment and Supplies in Springfield, Mass. “The abilities and needs of associations in our industry have changed dramatically.” 

HOMES is not the only association in transition mode: The Ohio Association of Medical Equipment Services (OAMES) also announced recently that its long-time executive director, Kam Yuricich, is retiring at the end of 2023. 

Matthews says the board is exploring a different structure for HOMES’s leadership that better reflects the association’s priorities, including addressing regulatory issues on a state and federal level, and recruiting new members. 

“All of the associations have this issue, as a result of consolidation in the industry, and we’re really trying to get more folks involved,” he said. “In the past few years, we’ve had several members go under the AdaptHealth banner, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but has an impact.” 

Instead of one president and CEO, for example, Matthews says the board may consider breaking up the position into two roles, with one role likely part-time. 

“There’s certainly not the need to have two directors, but we might have one position that handles membership, education and event planning, and another position that handles getting in front of Medicare, Medicaid and other payers. We’re open.”