Look in the mirror. What do you see?
By Mike Moran
Updated Tue June 22, 2010
YARMOUTH, Maine -- What kind of home medical equipment provider are you?
Are you proactive? Do you procrastinate but eventually adjust your business model to address industry changes? Or do you have no time to think strategically about how to position your company for the future?
Shoprider's John Wright sees all three. His advice: Be proactive.
"Most of the ones who are proactive are ahead of the game," he said. "They are going into retail sales and expanding their marketing activity to expand their base business and their payer mix."
In a recent HME News TV interview (www.hmenews.com), Wright discussed what providers must do in this new era of austerity. The solution is not, he said, to ask manufacturers to cut prices and "make you whole."
"The problem with that thinking is (manufacturers) can't cut enough out to make up the difference," he said. "Most providers don't even think in terms of retail. The idea is to take care of the patient's full needs, some of which will be reimbursed by a third-party payer, others will not. We're trying to get them to expand their thinking as far as providing a full line of service and products for patients."
Comments