VGM Retail Acquires Simply Shops Inc.

WATERLOO, Iowa (April 28, 2014)—VGM Group, Inc., has acquired Simply Shops Inc., the nationwide leader in health care retail consulting, and will merge it with VGM Retail to create the leading source of health care and HME-specific retail offerings in the HME and hospital industries. Combining broad spectrum retail practices with traditional health care needs, VGM Retail and Simply Shops will focus on improving the patient-consumer experience, which results in improved satisfaction scores and adds new sources of cash-based revenue to member businesses. VGM Retail is a service offered by The VGM Group, Inc. It provides retail consultation and full implementation services for member businesses as they improve upon or implement their HME retail strategies. Simply Shops will greatly enhance VGM Retail’s offering to the HME industry. Simply Shops has specialized in health care retail, primarily in the hospital setting. Its “Retail science is a unique retail concept that offers a blend of gift/floral, convenience, health and wellness and logo wear to support patients, families, staff, visitors and the overall community in the hospital environment. Blending these business practices with what has been considered traditional HME retail will open up new opportunities for VGM member businesses. Simply Shops is the health care industry’s one-stop-shop for all health care retail operations. Its emphasis is on patient/consumer engagement, or expanding the patient’s experience during their continuum of care. VGM Retail and Simply Shops will now provide a much wider range of business consultation and implementation offerings to member businesses. Consultation, merchandising plans for various health needs/space requirements, business plans and operational service options are all part of the new offering. Customizing the merchandise assortment to support the consumer, the health care environment and patient care by offering not only HME-specific products, but enhancing the offering with specialty categories, will be part of the program. For more information, contact Rob Baumhover, director of VGM Retail, at rob.baumhover@vgm.com or (855) 831-8470.