Spina Bifida Association chapter leaders, when one of the attendees jumped out of her seat and exclaimed, “That was YOU?!”
It was indeed me.
The young woman who was standing before me, sobbing in sheer amazement, was the sister of the teenager in Minnesota. After her brother’s life changed due to paralysis, the entire family’s life changed too. His sister took his recovery journey to heart, refocusing her career on serving other families who are impacted by paralysis.
Today, you’ll recognize this incredibly-talented sister as Nora Henle, the national director of marketing for the Spina Bifida Association of America.
As far as ROI for our collective social media efforts, I can legitimately show you countless HME customer relationships today that began with a simple email or online chat via Facebook. Those relationships and their related business will continue to grow online — but they will shift to new platforms and new channels.
One constant you can count on, though, is a community of people who are still searching for hope and resources. They’d love to meet you too.
Stand in the Gap with Us
Nora and I have both intentionally chosen the path of serving people with disabilities as our life’s work. Like so many people who work in HME, we’ve been personally impacted by the heartache and frustration that comes with a serious diagnosis for a loved one who now requires ongoing HME services and support.
Unfortunately, for many families served by the Spina Bifida Association, those challenges are compounded by bad insurance policies and a lack of legislative support. For example, a significant number of SBA families are currently struggling due to an absurdity within their United Healthcare plan that states the insurer will not cover catheters. Can you imagine not being able to go to the bathroom because your health insurance won’t let you? And if you would like to, you’ll need to pay cash in the range of $100 to $500 per month for the ability to do so?
Yes, that’s insane. Yes, it’s happening every day.
As an HME professional, you already know that’s not a reflective policy of appropriate healthcare access. Basic coverage of medical products needed for essential body functions is the purpose of health insurance.
To stop the madness, we need your help. Please partner with AAHomecare plus local chapters of the Spina Bifida Association to fund their efforts in reversing bad policy decisions as they fight the issue head-on.
Nora and I both thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your decision to make a tangible difference in the lives of the families we serve!
Chart Your Social Media Path at Medtrade Spring
If you’d like to learn more ways to positively engage and support HME customers, join us at Medtrade Spring on March 3 in Las Vegas!
I’ll be facilitating a four-hour Medtrade Spring workshop, free of charge for attendees, thanks to the generous support of Cure Medical. We’re covering the topic of Whole Person Marketing with an emphasis on how to properly support HME customers with physical, social and emotional support.
Special guest speakers include Rollettes founder and social media star Chelsie Hill; the Seated Nurse Andrea Dalzell, RN, BSN; industry advocate Madonna Long; and National Coalition for Assistive and Rehab Technology (NCART) director of communications Mickae Lee, with more surprises in store.
Seating is very limited, so reserve yours now at www.medtrade.com.
Can’t attend? Stay tuned as my fifth book, “Whole Person Marketing: A Guidebook for Healthcare Marketers,” will be available soon too, with free copies available for HME professionals.
