Passion in People

Today's blog post is a reflective one. When you are in the business of people, sometimes it's just good to take a minute to remember why we do what we do in the first place.

The most recent issue of Fast Company magazine included an article about a man named Vasu Kulkarni and his company, Krossover. Talented in both basketball and computer programming, Kulkarni created a way to bring high quality, yet inexpensive, analytical tools to high school and college level athletic programs. It is clear that Krossover was built from passion and a belief in the positive effect of athletics.


Thinking about all the successful DME and Home Care companies I've read about or had the privilege to work with, there is one important factor that rings true with all of them: focus on quality patient care. As you well know, the medical world isn't one for people who see the world in black and white because every decision we make impacts the kind of care patients receive. From clinical details to billing, ABNs to education, each part of your business touches your patients in some way. 

So make it a great week and keep focusing on your patients - it's amazing what a little passion in people can do!

Element #3 - Always Adapt

It's officially trade show season. The VGM Heartland conference wrapped up last week and Medtrade will be here before we know it. It's no surprise that much of the buzz is about competitive bidding, audits and technology. The home care industry, especially DME, is in a time of transition that can be enough to make your head spin... 

Change can be scary, however, it is also inevitable. Instead of finding yourself frustrated, try to see each new challenge facing your company as an opportunity to adapt - and succeed! 

For example, when Medicare dictates you communicate more with patients about refills/supplies, get your team together and start brainstorming. You will come up with an idea, that idea will become a plan, that plan will become action. If your course of action doesn't accomplish your goal or meet your expectations, it just means the formula isn't quite right yet. Use your team to help identify strengths and weaknesses of the plan, readjust your actions and move forward.

Sure, that may seem too simple but remember that "simple" and "easy" are not the same thing. Simple planning strategies are what enable you to cut through the clutter of worry and stress in order to focus on overall goals, to adapt. Besides, if it were easy everyone would do it and you aren't just anybody, right??

Element #2: Contacting Your Medicare Patients: Dot the I’s and Cross the T’s

Contacting patients is essential to both the success of your patients’ care and the success of your business. Strong communication with patients will help strengthen the patient/provider bond by keeping them updated with clinical and promotional information. While masterminding your strategy for patient communication, remember that part of developing effective lines of communication means understanding the limitations. Though Medicare is now encouraging providers to maintain regular contact with patients regarding supplies/refills, it is easy to be confused by the “do’s and dont’s.”

For example, a section of the Social Security Act prohibits unsolicited telephone contact by suppliers. One of three conditions must be met in order to contact a Medicare patient by phone. Section 1834 (a)(17)(a) of the Social Security Act states:

(A) In general—A supplier of a covered item under this subsection may not contact an individual enrolled under this part by telephone regarding the furnishing of a covered item to the individual unless one of the following applies:

1. The individual has given written permission to the supplier to make contact by telephone regarding the furnishing of a covered item.

2. The supplier has furnished a covered item to the individual and the supplier is contacting the individual only regarding the furnishing of such covered item.

3. If the contact is regarding the furnishing of a covered item other than a covered item already furnished to the individual, the supplier has furnished at least one covered item to the individual during the 15-month period preceding the date on which the supplier makes such contact.

Common sense may tell us that being a patient implies consent to be contacted by you, however, the law is not so black and white. As far as I am concerned, requirement number one, listed above, is the simplest way to avoid potential pitfalls when calling patients: get their consent.

The single best way to get patient consent is to just ask. When new patients come to you, have them fill out a consent form. Let them know how they will benefit from communication with their health care provider and assure them their contact information is secure. Existing patients can be asked to complete the form upon their next visit, the same way insurance information is updated. By openly collecting contact information and consent, you not only meet the Medicare requirements, you also take the first step to building patient trust and communication.

If you have any questions about how to contact patients or need help putting a consent form together, please send an email and I will be happy to talk with you!

P.S. There are also federal guidelines about contacting people through email. These guidelines apply to everyone, not just Medicare patients, but the solution is the same: Get consent.

The Golden Rule of High Gas Costs

We are all painfully aware of the increased cost of fuel and sometimes there is no choice left but to pass some of that increase on to customers. Just last week I read an article on the HME News website about high gas prices impacting delivery and shipping costs for providers.

Obviously no one wants to pay more for the same goods and services; informing your patients of higher rates, even just a few cents, can feel like a balancing act. It is important to keep them informed yet you want to keep them happy. Though it may not seem like it, this is a mini marketing exercise for you! Any time you have communication with a customer there is an opportunity to strengthen or weaken your brand. If you do have to increase pricing due to fuel costs, be up front with patients. Let them know you are actively monitoring costs to continue to provide a level of service they have come to expect from your company. 

However you deliver your message (email, statement stuffers, phone calls, etc.) the most important element is to be clear in your communication. Building trust with customers is important for repeat business. If you are ever in doubt, use The Golden Rule: Picture yourself as the patient. Would you be satisfied with your own communication? If your answer is "yes," then you're probably on the right track. If your answer is "no," readjust... or get a hold of me!

Element #1 - Read, Read, Read

I was fortunate to have some great teachers along the way who exposed me to articles and books written by philosophers, psychologists, politicians, scientists and artists. I didn’t always agree with the opinions I read but, among other things, it taught me there are always multiple sides to every issue.


The same is true with marketing. Marketing is a buzz word right now which means there is a lot of information from a lot of sources. Read everything you can - even if it doesn’t seem to relate to you, even if you disagree with what you read. If you are new to marketing, reading will help to familiarize you with some of the basics. If you’re already a pro, reading will keep you current and spark some new ideas. Simply ‘Googling’ topics and searching through the results is a great place to start. Here are a few of my favorite resources to get you started:

HME Business (April 2011) Editor's Note

HME Business
More likely than not, you are familiar with HME Business. There is plenty of information on their website and you can also subscribe to the magazine for free. It isn’t dedicated to marketing but mentions it frequently. In fact, the April 2011 issue Editor’s Note (written by editor David Kopf) is all about ramping up HME marketing efforts.


Marketing Profs
This website has a wealth of information broken down into brief, easy to understand articles. Sign up for a free membership, you will learn a lot!


Entrepreneur - Sales & Marketing Section
Dedicated to small business, this website has a lot of information for business owners about marketing and beyond. The Sales & Marketing section contains resources from how (and why!) to create a marketing plan to tips for improving your social media.


You’re doing all this reading... but now what? Start applying your new marketing savvy to what you’re already an expert in: your company. If you get excited by a sales idea you read about, ask yourself how that works for your patients. Did learning about company blogs interest you? Start writing about topics relevant to your patients or referral sources. Just remember to trust yourself. If you get stuck, send me an email!

Find Your Formula

I’m a science nerd at heart. Before discovering marketing & design, I started my college career on the path of a biology major so it’s no surprise my approach to marketing is a bit, well, scientific.


Marketing strategy is like a chemical formula: a series of elements mixed together in specific amounts, sometimes at specific times, to create a desired end result. All the vehicles for marketing - advertising, brochures, social media, promotions, etc. - are like the elements in your formula. The trick is experimenting with the combination of elements until the result is just right. I created Laboratory Marketing to help other people discover how to experiment, how to find their formula.


Be sure to look for the articles tagged with “elements” on the Laboratory Marketing blog. Coming soon, there will be a series of articles on the focusing on different tips, tricks and suggestions you can incorporate into your marketing strategy. If you ever have any questions about what you read here, please leave me a comment or send me an email!

Jumping In

I quit.

It's funny how two little words that seem so final, so permanent, can leave so much to question. But that's what I did. I quit. I quit my full-time, steady paycheck, sit-at-my-desk marketing job to pursue this new adventure I've called Laboratory Marketing.

As any good business owner knows, one of the first rules of marketing is to know your target audience and "everyone" or "people who need it" are not going to cut it. Laboratory Marketing is focused on the medical community, especially home/durable medical equipment companies. I've worked on national automotive accounts, launched an energy drink, created campaigns for universities, promoted a brewery but there's something about the HME industry that seems to be calling. 

I will admit it's a little scary. (My husband will probably tell you the same thing...) But beyond that initial scary is only excitement! There are two things I love most in my professional life: one of them is marketing. It only makes sense to share it with "people who need it," right?

I'm jumping in with both feet. Stick around... it's going to be a great journey! 

And if you're one of those "people who need it," what are you waiting for? Send me an email!