Wound Care: Be the expert 

Q. How can I differentiate my retail space to highlight wound care products? 

A. Expanding your retail presence can draw in new customers and differentiate your business from others in the market. As we see declining reimbursement, more home medical equipment providers are looking to expand their retail setting and diversify to cash sales. Most retail HMEs focus on mobility and safety; however, offering unique products that focus on health, wellness and preventative care brings value to your customers.   

Skin health and incontinence care 

According to the Journal of Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing, more than 47% of people that suffer with incontinence have skin breakdown. Offer a complete line of incontinence skin products like perineal skin cleansers, moisturizers and barrier creams, which can help prevent issues like incontinence associated dermatitis. Offer various products for levels of skin breakdown. Look to offer products that contain aluminum hydroxide, zinc oxide, petrolatum or dimethicone to help soothe the skin and seal out wetness. Educate your customer that to prevent skin damage and maintain healthy skin a perineal cleanser and barrier should be applied after every incontinence episode.   

Advanced wound care 

Most medical suppliers offer a basic line of dressings that include gauze rolls, gauze pads and ABD dressings. Expand your offering to include silicone foams, transparent films, hydrocolloids and alginates.  Back up your wound care section with education on product selection and assistance in application. Add in the ancillary items that include skin preps and wound cleansers – these are products that should be used with every dressing change. Your customers are looking to you to be the expert; thus, you need to have a basic knowledge of the products and their function.   

Stock items that will attract your customers and bring in repeat business. Differentiate your business from the big-box retailers and focus on quality products that produce excellent outcomes.   

Jodi RohlwingHettich is vice president, business development, at DermaRite Industries, LLC. Reach her at Jrohlwinghettich@dermarite.com or 847-651-3585.