Archive: July 2017
Ostomy lifestyle expert feels 'lucky'
July 31, 2017Kelly Bothum
Laura Cox has served as Shield Healthcare's ostomy living expert for 3½ years. She was hired by the company after CEO Jim Snell saw her speak about her ileostomy on an episode of Tosh.0. She talks about her interest in telling her story to educate and break down the stigma around ostomy. HME News: How does sharing your personal experience help others?Laura Cox: People get an ostomy for all sorts of reasons. Mine was inflammatory bowel disease. When I was doing my own research, there wasn't...
Shield Healthcare reinvigorates ostomy services division
July 31, 2017Kelly Bothum
VALENCIA, Calif. - Shield Healthcare recently announced a renewed push to market its ostomy services to Medicare patients nationwide. As part of that effort, Shield has developed an extensive online presence to engage and educate ostomy patients. That presence includes Ostomy Life expert, Laura Cox, who has been living with an ostomy since she was 19 years old.As part of Shield's Ostomy Life marketing campaign, Cox, 24, makes videos, writes blog posts and interacts with other people who are living...
Mobile Solutions: Keep patient files at your fingertips
July 31, 2017Aimee Swope
A. Maintaining compliance is key to running a successful HME company. Regulations continually change not only for accreditation and equipment criteria, but also for maintaining your insurance contracts. Paper documentation and filing cabinets can be daunting and expensive to sustain, and leave room for human error. Companies spend $20 in labor to file a document, $120 to find a misfiled document and $220 to reproduce a lost document, according to Fujitsu's Pam Doyle.
In the face of an audit,...
Golden adds heft
July 31, 2017Jeff Rowe
OLD FORGE, Pa. - Companies tend to make big announcements when they change or update their overall strategy. But sometimes, making prominent hiring decisions can amount to the same thing.For example, Golden Technologies recently announced three executive hires, including two newly created positions: Cy Corgan as vice president of national accounts, and Jack Byrne as CFO. The company also hired Chris Carroll as director of marketing.“The bottom line,” said C.J. Copley, Golden's executive...
NRTS backs wheelchair users
July 31, 2017Liz Beaulieu, Editor
WASHINGTON - When wheelchair users rolled onto Capitol Hill in June to advocate for a number of issues, they had official support from NRRTS for the first time.
NRRTS was a “Capitol” sponsor for the United Spinal Association-organized Roll on Capitol Hill, a $20,000 commitment.
“As the (manufacturer, provider and user communities) work together more, we saw this as an opportunity to show our cohesiveness,” said Weesie Walker, executive director of NRRTS. “We're...
Efficiencies: Go out and talk to your patients
July 31, 2017Melissa Kozak
A. The best way is to go out and talk to your patients. Find out what their current experience is. It may sound too simple, but it's a critical step rarely taken.As a home infusion nurse, I saw on a daily basis how frustrated patients were with their care. And I was shocked when I learned how much money my bosses wasted delivering experiences that only frustrated their patients. If you are spending money to keep your patients happy, and it mostly makes your patients mad, that money is worse than...
24-Hour Care: Assess need-want and environment
July 31, 2017Brad Peterson
A. An important part of 24-hour care is successful implementation, with the goal of improving function, activity, participation and quality of life for the individual.The starting point is a comprehensive assessment of the individual's and the caregiver's needs and lifestyle, specific to their environments. By assessing and understanding the need, it's clear how to implement the provision of equipment, services and care over the 24-hour period.The assessment process will require an all-inclusive...
Social Media: Meet them where they are
July 31, 2017Katlyn Bourget
A. Social media influencers, bloggers, online news and podcasts are the new newspapers and magazines. And while these outlets are a bit different from the traditional print publications that used to run the media world, similar tactics are needed to make sure your content has the best chance to be seen.Over the years, we've seen a shift in the industry from PR and social media as separate tactics, to working hand in hand. When thinking about your PR strategy, it's important to include social media...
Quality spurs BOC biz
July 31, 2017Jeff Rowe
OWINGS MILLS, Md.- As payers increasingly focus on the quality and competence of DME suppliers, those suppliers are increasingly recognizing the value of having one or more certified DME specialists (CDME) on staff.
And for that, they are turning to the Board of Certfication/Accreditation (BOC).
That interest in DME certification is one reason why BOC recently moved to an office space nearly 50% larger than its former space, explains Claudia Zacharias, president and CEO of the not-for-profit organization.
But...
Q&A with Bill Fertig
July 31, 2017Jeff Rowe
KEW GARDENS, N.Y. - In mid-June, the United Spinal Association held its 6th Annual Roll on Capitol Hill, which brought hundreds of members to Washington, D.C., to advocate on behalf of individuals living with spinal cord injuries and disorders.HME News recently caught up with Bill Fertig, director of the association's Resource Center and a wheelchair user, to hear about the event and how it's changed from year to year.HME News: How was this, the 6th Annual Roll, different from previous years?Bill...