Resmed drives awareness

SAN DIEGO – A big reason for Resmed’s recently announced rebrand is to reflect its increased direct-to-consumer engagement on obstructive sleep apnea and CPAP therapy. Chief Marketing Officer Katrin Pucknat spoke with HME News about what that means for the company’s provider customers. 

HME News: How has Resmed increased its direct-to-consumer engagement and why is this something the company is increasingly focused on? What have been the preliminary results of that engagement?  

Katrin Pucknat: Our direct-to-consumer engagement is focused on increasing awareness for sleep health and promoting CPAP therapy as the gold standard for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. This includes raising awareness for and making CPAP therapy more accessible. We want to ensure that CPAP is a seamlessly integrated part of everyday health and well-being.  

We currently have three tailored provider and consumer awareness campaigns running globally, each designed to meet the unique needs of its target audience and region. We’re also evaluating opportunities to adapt these campaigns for additional countries.     

Early results from this work have shown a significant increase in Google searches, as well as increased visits to our website, Resmed.com.  

HME: What's the impact on HME providers of increased DTC engagement? More engagement may mean more uptake on therapy, which may mean an increasing number of patients for them to serve?  

Pucknat: With an estimated 39 million people in the U.S. living with obstructive sleep apnea, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to raise awareness. 

We just announced the publication of a landmark meta-analysis in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, demonstrating that CPAP therapy significantly reduces the risk of death for people with OSA. More specifically, the study found that in people with sleep apnea, CPAP therapy lowered the overall chance of dying by 37% and the chance of heart-related death by 55%.  

We know that the more we can increase awareness for sleep apnea and for CPAP as the gold standard for treatment, the more likely people are to seek treatment and equipment from an HME. That’s why at Resmed access to treatment is through promoting awareness.  

HME News: Another big reason for the rebrand is to unify Resmed’s portfolio. Our readers best know the company as a manufacturer of CPAP devices and masks/accessories. Why is it important for Resmed to have a broader presence? 

Pucknat: Broadly speaking, we are a unified health technology company focused on sleep, breathing and care delivered in the home. We offer AI-powered digital health solutions, cloud-connected devices and intelligent software that make home health care more personalized, accessible and effective.   

Beyond CPAPs and masks, we also have a number of brands across our Residential Care Software (RCS) business that provide software for providers in HME, home nursing, home health and beyond. The current brands include Brightree by Resmed, MatrixCare by Resmed and CitusHealth by Resmed. Over time, we are integrating these brands into Resmed to help our customers navigate our portfolio more easily.