Page 42 - HME Business, April 2017

“A lot of our DME pharmacy customers — especially independent pharmacies — are seeing patients with needs outside of prescriptions, such as ankle braces, or a doctor may have told their patients to go get compression hosiery because they have venous disease.”
— Ernie Hahn, DJO Global
Orthopedics and Caretailing:
a Q & A with Rob Baumhover
VGM Retail says you can maximize your company’s retail
potential though “caretailing,” which is fully satisfying the
desires of healthcare consumers through the traditional
elements of running a retail business, rather than focusing on reimbursement and insurance. Here’s what Rob Baumhover, director of the VGM Retail division of VGM Group, says about orthopedic softgoods:
HME Business: Why should pharmacies carry orthopedic soft goods?
Baumhover: The key to DME pharmacies selling orthopedic soft goods is to not be another ‘me too’ player in the market. There needs to be something that differenti- ates you from your competition. Orthopedic soft goods are a very well-represented category in that they are carried by traditional HMEs and DMEs, as well as big box, traditional retail stores. The way to set yourself apart is to carry a high-end, high- quality solution, unlike the generally low to middle of the road products carried by competitors. It is also important to note that marketing these products is also very important. Use positive language like ‘recovery’ or ‘bracing products’ when talking about these products.
What are the benefits?
The benefit for pharmacies selling these items is that they already generally have good foot traffic coming into their stores. This allows them to sell additional products to the customers that are already coming in. When selling high-quality products, there is generally good reimbursement, third-party profit to be made. You will also be driving a different market than your competitors would be.
What are some must-stock items?
Make sure to cover all of the joints. Back products are also very popular. And clavicle and soft collars are big for sports athletes.
What are the patient niches for orthopedic softgoods?
Independent pharmacies tend to be in mid to smaller markets, making it important for them to be engaged and network in the community. Pharmacies practicing good caretailing techniques will also have high walk-in foot traffic, so the products should be displayed in a well-traveled area in the store.
What are the top five keys/tips for pharmacies to successfully sell ortho- pedic soft goods?
• Carry high-quality products
• Accept funded and retail
• Display prominently in your store
• Research the market for quality referrals (traditional and otherwise)
• Network in the market and community to create a solid outside sales and
marketing campaign
According to Wimsatt, must-stock orthopedic softgoods include:
Prime categories are wrist and wrist-thumb supports/splints, knee braces and wraps with flexible and rigid support, ankle supports, (tennis) elbow straps.
Secondary categories are back supports, abdominal binders, rib belts, hernia supports, cervical collars.
Training
One of the most important aspects of selling orthopedic softgoods is training. Patients have choices and may not know what would be more appropriate for the injury, for example, a soft knee wrap or a hinged brace.
So a trained pharmacist or pharmacist tech would be able to explain to customers the differences and benefits of using a hinged brace versus a wrap. But without that knowledge, the sale could be dead at the counter.
Also, there are abundant cross-selling and up-selling opportunities with orthopedic softgoods, but again, it depends on the knowledge of the pharmacy employees.
“They have to be trained the right way and attend training classes to make sure that they can recommend the appropriate product to the patient,” says Hahn. “Many times you have to visually see patients to see if they are limping or if they currently have a brace or if there’s a patient in which the doctor has previously prescribed compression hose. You may want to ask customers if they have any joint issues. Do you have any issues where we could talk about some some extra support for you? The biggest key to sales is having a dedicated person trained to under- stand these products and that’s where we see the most success.”
Wimsatt points out that mobility aids, hot/cold compresses, bathroom safety equipment, anti-inflammatories, and pain relievers are excellent cross-selling items for orthopedic softgoods.
Gwodzdz says that compression garments have a wide assortment of fabrics and styles that invite up-sell opportunities to customers, including active individuals, business travelers, service men and women, retail workers, moms to be and people who stand for a living.
“Each business should be familiar with the demographics of its community and tailor its services accordingly,” Wimsatt says. “If near retirement communities, emphasis should be on back, abdominal and hernia supports, along with wrist and knee braces. If near a high school or university, emphasis should be on sports-related supports. If near industrial area, emphasis on supports for work-related injury, such as wrist and back supports.
Hahn says that when it comes to compression, patients with venous disease, a condition where the flow of blood through the veins is inad- equate, have a need to continually buy compression products. He says patients will buy anywhere from four to eight pairs of stockings per year and the profit margin on compression hosiery is from 50 percent to 60 percent.
“If you’re selling some type of a pain reliever to construction workers Rx 10 April 2017 | DME Pharmacy
or people who are on their feet all day, you may want to mention that you’ve got a line of compression hosiery that can help with your veins,” he says. “Those people who are on their feet all day typically have not just venous disease issues but orthopedic issues as well, from back to knee to ankle.”
Finally, talk to your orthopedics softgoods manufacturer or distributer representative for training and literature that helps you sell the products in your DME pharmacy. Many have on-line and in-store training that will help you move product out the door. n
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Joseph Duffy is a freelance writer and marketing consultant, and a regular contrib- utor to DME Pharmacy and HME Business. He can be reached via e-mail at joe@prooferati.com.