If you want it done right, do it yourself!
If you run your home care company correctly, your task is to be its supervisor.
Your salaried employees all should be fully aware of their sphere of responsibility. I am sure that you have given each employee a job description that explains broadly your expectations.
The problem is that many employees look at that description as the limits for their job. When prepared correctly, the job description you provide should reflect your minimum expectation. Every employee should be aware that he or she is an important cog in your organization, and that all of their efforts must be for growth — both theirs and that of the company.
Over the year many HME proprietors have shared with me how they hire (and fire) employees, and how they give guidance. They use the job description as a starting point, then direct and monitor each employee so that they are able to expand their contributions to the success of the company.
Remember that an HME team consists of all the employees working to accomplish a goal: the success of the — or may I say, their — company.
HME entrepreneurs cannot do it all by themselves, but they can build a good staff, provide the tools that staff needs and then guide that staff to reach a goal. I am a firm believer that regularly scheduled meetings with your employees will develop a comfort level for all and help mesh them into a team.
Whenever I talk about this approach, I am always asked, “How much should I tell my employees?” That question is difficult to answer, but when your employees realize they are part of the company team, then you should share your ideas with them. When you do that, you might be very surprised at how much information they can provide to make reaching your company's goal much easier.
That is what I call “doing it right,” not “doing it yourself.”
Information Center
One of the best ways for HME providers to make their services better known in the community is by becoming an information center. All it takes is some time and imagination to set up the program. Once it is in place, it will bring in customers.
Which discipline is your strength? Is it respiratory service including oxygen, or mobility and rehab? Are you the first on your block to offer home telehealth? When you take the time to review all of the services your company performs, you can easily identify which one is producing the most volume and the best profits.
Knowing this, you can move forward to develop your “information center” that includes information on products, a list of pertinent self-help associations (who should be happy to give their members any resources you can provide) and manufacturers who will support your efforts. Contact these vendors to request appropriate literature. These sources also should be willing to stage demonstrations for your customers on request.
Organize a mailing introducing your information center in the business segment you have chosen. The first letter you send could feature an article about equipment maintenance and an offer to check any product at your showroom to be sure it is working correctly. People love getting a free check-up on their aids.
A second mailing could announce that you will be holding an open house in your showroom or a seminar at a local hotel where you will have several manufacturers show their wares. Speakers could include a physician, a nurse or an EMT. Feature demos of the products you carry that can help.
Welcome Tyler Wilson
Please join me in welcoming Tyler J. Wilson as the new president and CEO of the American Association for Homecare. Tyler has faced the same difficulties HME providers face: He served a tour of duty as the executive director of the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association.
It is always a big advantage when a strong person with the correct background represents an industry, but that person can only succeed with the backing of the industry's stakeholders. That's you, so please get on board as quickly as possible. I know of no better way to welcome Tyler to this post and, when you do, we all will win.
Sheldon “Shelly” Prial is based in Melbourne, Fla., with Prial Consulting and also serves as the director of government relations for Atlanta-based Graham-Field Health Products. In 1987, he founded the Homecare Providers Co-Op, now part of The VGM Group. He can be reached by e-mail at shelly.prial@att.net or by phone at 321/255-3885.
