Shield Healthcare reinvigorates ostomy services division

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 with an ostomy, said Eric Yen, marketing director for Shield. With her upbeat, positive
personality, she shares her real-life experiences.
“We're trying to make a presence nationally, but people already know Laura,” Yen said. “She's got a national fan base. She talks about things a nurse wouldn't necessarily be able to communicate. We hope through our initiative, our brand will get out there more.”
Cox was hired four years ago after Shield Healthcare CEO Jim Snell saw an interview with her on the Comedy Central show “Tosh.0” with Daniel Tosh. The video, which takes place in a bathroom, shows Cox breezily chatting about using the bathroom, dating issues and misconceptions about having an ostomy.  
The company also provides breast pump and wound care supplies and last fall, it hired Aaron Baker as a spinal cord injury lifestyle specialist.
“Our CEO has a heart for helping patients and end users,” Cox said. “He saw a need there, and took a chance on me. I think it speaks a lot about how Shield values our customers, not just as a customer but as people.”
Shield's focus on expanding its expertise in ostomy and lifestyle care is the result of addressing a need in the market, Yen said.
“There are Medicare patients that are dissatisfied by the level of service and the limited product selection in a challenging reimbursement environment,” he added. “We are hoping to fill that gap.”