ResMed has been driving an industry-wide campaign thanking HME providers for their years of partnership with the respiratory equipment manufacturer, as well as affirming its commitment to help those providers. The outreach highlights various ResMed programs and resources in areas such as government affairs, medical research, product R&D, and training and education.

“At ResMed, our mission really is to improve the quality of life for patients, slow their disease progression, and reduce overall healthcare costs, and we acknowledge that this is not something we can achieve without having that strong partnership with the HMEs,” explains Jon Yerbury, vice president of marketing in North America for ResMed.

The campaign is being distributed via a variety of methods, such as print ads in trade magazines, digital ads, and even direct interaction with the HMEs. Yerbury adds there are underlying elements in the campaign that are part of ResMed’s day-to-day work with providers.

As ResMed entered its July-through-June fiscal year, it kicked off the campaign, with an eye not just on broadcasting its message points, but working to effectively communicate with HME businesses to learn how the company can better support them and provide them with resources and tools that will help improve their businesses and the care that they provider, Yerbury explains. As that exchange develops the campaign could last longer than the fiscal year, as a result.

“Some of the areas that we have consistently invested in and actually dedicated resources to are focused on areas such as government advocacy and government affairs,” he notes. “We know from our interactions with HMEs and some of the surveys we’ve undertaken it’s one of the areas that is really important to HMEs.

“We’re trying to have some strong voices at the table when we’re talking about payment policy, healthcare IT and some of those areas that really matter to how the HMEs are running their businesses,” Yerbury adds.

Another key element in ResMed’s campaign is providing training and education for providers and staff. This includes programs such as ResMed’s Academy Online or conducting online symposiums with the industry’s various associations. The ResMed Academy Online provides personalized education on demand, and one key feature is an element called a Program in Excellence that provides online tools that educate HME staff on topics such as diagnostic processes, and the basics of sleep disordered breathing, and efficient business and care practices.

Other areas include medical research and studies that help determine the best ways to enhance patient care, as well as working with providers to learn how the company should approach product development and research.

“In the last year, ResMed has improved the lives of 9 million people around the world,” Yerbury noted. “And in the last 27 years of our history, we’ve helped many, many more. [This campaign] is acknowledging that none of that would be possible for us if it wasn’t for the support and ongoing relationship and partnership with have with our HMEs.”