2012 Educational Program

How the HME industry can advance its position

The challenge put to every healthcare provider today is this: How can you help lower the cost of health care while improving outcomes, or at least keeping them stable? Everette James, who currently advises the University of Pittsburgh on health reform implementation, will explore the answer to this question. He'll analyze new delivery models for health care and examine how the HME industry can advance its position. He'll also explore what this could mean for reimbursement going forward. James, who is a former secretary of health for the state of Pennsylvania, believes the most effective way that the HME industry can secure its future is to build a base of evidence that showcases its value. "This industry is a hidden but critical piece of the healthcare puzzle," he says.

Presenter:
Everette James, JD, MBA, is associate vice chancellor for health policy and planning, Schools of the Health Sciences, at the University of Pittsburgh; director of the university's Health Policy Institute; and professor of health policy and management in the Graduate School of Public Health

The 6th Annual HME News/SRA Financial Benchmarking Survey

Each year, hundreds of HME providers participate in this study to see how they stack up against their peers in everything from net revenues to days sales outstanding to employee expenses. This year, you'll get that data and more, such as how many providers are outsourcing sleep services like supplies replenishment. This survey has become a bedrock for the HME industry and now, with competitive bidding spreading to 91 more areas, it's more important than ever.

Presenters:
Rick Glass, president, Steven Richards & Associates

Street Talk, Part 1: Generating revenues and cuttings costs

Our annual Street Talk sessions provide some of the best networking opportunities in the industry. Attendees divide into three groups and discuss their thoughts and experiences on generating revenues and cutting costs. Are you kicking around an idea and wondering if it's going to fly? This is the place to get feedback. Street Talk is simple: It's provider helping provider and, in the opinion of past Summit attendees, it doesn't get any better than that.

Retail, Part 1: Forget everything you think you know

You've likely heard stakeholders in the HME industry beating the retail drum, but what's been missing? A sound strategic initiative that goes behind the hype and actually delivers results, like meeting providers' missions and goals, and generating new revenues. Author Mindy Thompson-Banko has advised healthcare leaders on more than 100 major retail initiatives. Use her expert advice on "the science of retail" to transform your existing retail efforts or launch a new concept. She uses real-world success stories to debunk common healthcare retail myths. In this session, you'll learn:

• Average financial gains/benefits derived from a retail strategy
• Profile of healthcare providers that have implemented retail and their experiences/successes
• Other non-financial benefits of retail (increased patient, physician, and employee satisfaction scores)
• Steps to evaluating retail as a strategy in your facility
• Options for executing the model (existing in-house staff, new hires with retail experience, professional contract agencies)

Presenter:
Mindy Thomson-Banko, founder and president, Simply Retail, Inc.

From the outside looking in: What kind of investment Is HME?

Outside investors haven't been strangers to the HME industry. In this session, you'll hear from three outside investors about where they see value in HME and what the future holds. How does an HME company make itself a good candidate for this type of investment, and what kind of due diligence do investors conduct? It's information that's useful for a $2 million HME company or a $20 million HME company.

Moderator:
Dexter Braff, president, The Braff Group

Panelists:
David Sturdee, managing director, Clairvest Group
Michael Holloway, executive vice president, GMH Ventures
Jack Nestor, principal, The Riverside Company

Street Talk, Part 2: Managing, motivating and compensating employees to achieve business goals

In this second workshop, attendees will discuss managing, motivating and compensating employees by strategically utilizing key performance indicators (KPIs). For example, what KPIs do you track and for which type of employees?

Marketing: On a mission to find the ROI

Consultant Anna McDevitt admits that determining the ROI on marketing efforts is a mix of art and science. In this session, using an HME provider's real-life experiences, McDevitt will dive into how to collect metrics for various marketing efforts—from email campaigns to community-based events—and how to use those metrics to drive decisions about future efforts. In an industry where every dollar counts, she'll help you answer this often-evasive question: How much should I spend and where should I spend it? You'll learn:

• 3 pillars of marketing: Patients, Physicians, Branding and image
• Statistics about Internet usage and health care, and what that means to HME marketing
• The metrics of new marketing opportunities and their placement in a traditional marketing plan
• Sample data and interpretation for email marketing, Internet marketing, community-based events and traditional media
• The metrics of internal marketing

Presenter:
Anna McDevitt, president, Laboratory Marketing
Ryan McDevitt, manager, Sleep Solutions Home Medical

Buying and Selling: Anatomy Of A Deal

At last year's Summit, these analysts gave an overview of the mergers and acquisition market for HME. What ensued: A frank discussion of the benefits to providers of buying, not selling. This year, they're back by popular demand, to walk you through the nuts-and-bolts from both the buying and selling side. How do you access the M&A pipeline? How do you identify targets? This session will give you a clear roadmap, so you don't fear the process.

Moderator:
Rick Rector, publisher, HME News

Panelists:
Dexter Braff, president, The Braff Group
Rick Glass, president, Steven Richards & Associates;
Jonathan Sadock, CEO and managing partner, Paragon Ventures
Don Davis, president, Duckridge Advisors

Retail, Part 2: The patient speaks

When it comes to retail sales, this is the elephant in the room: How willing are seniors to spend money out-of-pocket on home medical equipment? HME News and Emerge Sales have interviewed more than 100 seniors to mine not only their spending habits, but also their buying habits for HME. In this data-driven session, Michael Sperduti will announce the results of the survey and explore the potential they have to revolutionize your retail sales and your entire business. You'll learn:

• What seniors value most in a provider
• How they feel about their current provider
• What products they're most willing to spend money on
• The best way to reach them through advertising
• What type of sales experience they prefer

Presenter:
Michael Sperduti, president and CEO, Emerge Sales

No longer lone wolves: HME providers seek partnerships

It's still unclear how a Medicare system with accountable care organizations (ACOs) will look and feel. What is clear: These three HME providers aren't waiting to find out. They're actively approaching hospitals, home health agencies and other healthcare providers to flex their muscles when it comes to taking care of patients in their homes and keeping them out of hospitals. While their efforts in this area are still very much in-the-works, these providers are making plays, whether it's negotiating preferred provider agreements, offering chronic disease management programs through telehealth, or proposing high-touch transitional care programs. Get a realistic portrayal of the possible opportunities and setbacks from three providers with boots on the ground.

Moderator:
Alan Morris, director of alternate care programs, The VGM Group

Panelists:
David Hartley, CEO of Home Health Depot
Michael Bartz, vice president Beaumont Home Health Services
Tom Sedlak, senior vice president of business development, Vantage Healthcare Network

Summit wrap-up: Connecting the dots

After two days at the Summit, you'll have learned and heard a lot, not only from speakers but also from your peers. Now what? In this final workshop, Dexter Braff will help you connect the dots between what you've learned and how to apply it. You'll leave the Summit armed to improve your business and ready to tackle the future, whatever it may hold.

Presenter:
Dexter Braff, president, The Braff Group