Q&A: Michelle Harvey

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – In two years, NRRTS has increased its registrant count in Canada to more than 270, including Michelle Harvey. Harvey, the long-term care and pediatric sales manager for HME, a company based here, is also one of five registrants from Canada who now sit on the NRRTS board of directors. She spoke with HME News about why being a NRRTS registrant is increasingly popular in Canada, despite it being voluntary. 

HME News: Why did you take the extra step of becoming a NRRTS registrant? 

Michelle Harvey: There are a couple of different reasons, but the main one is I lead a sales team of about 30 and the only way to learn how to be a rep in this industry is to read NRRTS articles, to participate in their education and to network with other registrants. If you post a question to the forum, you’re going to get 50 responses back. That level of resources is invaluable. 

HME: What are the other reasons? 

Harvey: It’s a way to recognize you’re held to certain standards, and it’s a way to qualify everything you’re doing. We’re dealing with sores and amputations and incontinence issues and pressure molding systems – it’s a really high level of skill.  

HME: Even though being a NRRTS registrant is voluntary in Canada, is it something you and your company highlight to payers? 

Harvey: If you look at our government contracts, there’s always a line saying, “The person administering this contract has the highest level of training and certification.” Well, being a NRRTS registrant is exactly that. We talk about how all of the RTSs at our company are NRRTS registrants. We talk about the professional development required of registrants. We put “NRRTS registrant” at the end of our email signatures. 

HME: Are you lobbying to make being a NRRTS registrant a requirement in Canada? 

Harvey: We’re in British Columbia, where we have about 90 NRRTS registrants. In the next six months to a year, our government will start requiring it as a condition for the liability insurance needed for certain contracts. I also think it’s gaining momentum in other parts of Canada.