Sun Medical: ‘A totally different DME’

BIRMINGHAM, Mich. – Sun Medical Equipment’s new retail location is well positioned to take advantage of a “demographically perfect” neighborhood and industry, say company execs. 

“The average household income in Birmingham is the highest in Michigan and we are on the main road in that community and traffic on that road is 75,000 cars a day,” said Greg Jamian, CEO of parent company AmeriCare Medical and co-founder of Sun Medical Equipment. “The aging population is a major force out there and with 80 million baby boomers in the U.S., the need for the products we sell and services (we provide) is growing by 18% to 28% a year.” 

The new location is also located between a medical center and a hospital. 

Sun Medical Equipment, which was founded in 1981, also has locations in Washington Township and Troy. Its product mix is about 30% oxygen and respiratory, 40% ambulatory aids and DME like wheelchairs, walkers, canes and beds, with the balance including orthotics, support hose, wound care, bathroom safety and medical instruments. It is part of a larger company that includes: AmeriStaff Nursing Services, Rx iV Infusion Pharmacy and Oak Bridge Case Management. 

“We had the foresight to understand that home care was a lot bigger than just HME, although HME is an important component,” Jamian said. “So, when we talk about home care, we’re talking about the total integrated piece: HME, nursing, home infusion therapy. We have really relied on that to keep us in business over the years and have the model grow and be validated. Here we are, 40 years later and our business is thriving.” 

To grow that model means to constantly adapt to changes in the market. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the provider has become a large source of personal protective equipment to government institutions, schools and health care systems. The new location is also staffed by nurses – drawn from AmeriCare’s nursing division – to answer questions regarding home care evaluations, PCR COVID-19 testing for travel and other issues, says John Jamian, Sun Medical COO. 

“They can help with questions on DME, and we have private rooms where a patient or customer can go with the nurse and discuss concerns or other needs they have,” he said. “We have oxygen and CPAP devices made for travel and we have PCR testing available if seniors want to travel.” 

To compete in an increasingly competitive market, Sun Medical has incorporated technology to make it easier and more seamless for customers to do business with the company, says John Jamian. 

“Our staff is equipped with tablets on the sales floor to streamline the checkout process and we have integrated POS systems (Brightree and AlayaCare) to assist with our home care client,” he said. “We make it easy for them to take a look at services online or on social media. We want to make it easy, like an Apple store. We think it’s a totally different DME than we would have seen 20 years ago.”