Posts

Where did Mom finally end up?

Over the past few months, I have written several blogs describing my journey to provide care for my mother and her recent medical issues. Fast forward to today: Mom was in the hospital and couldn’t find an SNF with rehab that had a bed open…

I called her nurse every night and asked, “Should we should take her home?”

I felt like we could rehab her at home with home health. However, her nurse was a little apprehensive.

She was concerned that she would NOT get the rehab she needed. I reassured her with Home Health, PT, and OT that we could create a home exercise plan (HEP) that would ve “comparable” to an SNF rehab plan with less exposure to COVID since Mom is immune-compromised.

After “team” the next day, her Nurse Practitioner called me and said, “Can you support your Mom at home if we D/C her directly home?”

Of course, I said yes with my friends from Interim Home Health!

Yes, I can fly home and help, but here’s the catch you: want to D/C her on Monday, and I get out of COVID isolation on Tuesday. That way I can fly home on Wednesday.

I called my Mom to confirm this is what she wanted to do and was comfortable “going home” she said, “YES, I want to go home!”

 

So I called my brother who lives on the other side of Ohio and said, “Ryan could you get Mom and take her home on Monday? Set her up. I will organize home health and hire an in-home caregiver through the private duty side of Interim until I can get there on Wednesday.” He said yes!

Ryan has a HUGE truck. I had this vision of him “throwing” Mom up into the cab. Luckily for me, Mom already thought of that and told him to go to her house and get her car to bring her home – good idea!

 

By the time I called Interim later that day, they already had the order for Home Health, and I was fielding calls from the DME company to deliver equipment.

Mom made it home safe and sound on Monday – YEA! She had a friend stay with her Monday and Tuesday night until I could get there on Wednesday.

Interim professionals were doing the SOC on Tuesday. She is receiving Nursing OT and PT.

A private duty aide came on Wed afternoon to help her get settled. On Wednesday, I was out of isolation and flew home to 12 inches of SNOW! What a welcome! But, just like the mailman, the Home Health Clinicians came to see my Mom that week. I am happy to report Mom has graduated from her walker! She is still a little unsteady, but her OT and PT are working on that!

I am grateful that she was able to go home.

Moreover, she is THRILLED to be at home!

 

She said to me last night, “Mel, I think I just do better at home. Look at me; I am walking. I am climbing steps to the landing. I don’t think I would have done this well at skilled nursing with rehab.”

I believe her. In her own environment, which she loves, she is HIGHLY motivated to do her HEP and functional activities (last night, we made bread and the night before cookies to take to the kids).

Big shout out to Interim of Meadville, PA – Their customer service is off the charts, and their clinicians are super skilled!

 

What can we learn from this experience?

    1. Hospitals automatically think “SNF with rehab” if they qualify- but it doesn’t have to be that way. In some cases, it shouldn’t be that way.
    2. Your clinicians, if the patient is medically stable and has a caregiver if they are not able to self-care, CAN receive Home Health.
    3. Home Health was the RIGHT answer for my Mom; I just needed to think about how to cover the 1st two days of her discharge since I couldn’t be there.

Tell the story of my Mom to your hospital D/C planners. Let them “visualize” how Home Health can be the answer – especially now that COIVD has so many of them without “beds.” We call these patient vignettes. This is how we get referral sources to connect the dots from a patient to a referral to you.

Need more patient vignettes to help them connect the dots to you? We got you covered!

 

The RoadMap to Referrals is FULL of patient vignettes you can use out in the field to get more referrals NOW.

Gaining referrals does not have to be complicated. Will you let us help you?

Pick a time convenient for you to have Mike show you the system!

Together we GROW!

Melanie

/by

What does patient choice look like from the patient’s point of view?

For those of you who have been “following” Mom’s journey. She hit a speed bump a couple of weeks ago.

She had a bone biopsy, and there was some internal bleeding after the procedure; by the time she got home, she was in extreme pain and unable to walk.

She called the ambulance and was transported back to Cleveland Clinic. Mom spent 14 days as an inpatient while they tried to get her pain under control and start to resolve the hematoma that was on her “hip .”

As luck would have it, I was unable to be at the bedside as my son tested positive for COVID, and I was on a ten-day isolation protocol. So my care coordination was via phone and facetime.

Since my Mom lives alone, they thought it best to transition to an SNF with Rehab. I could hardly disagree as I couldn’t fly home to be with her.

The Case Manager (CM) gave her the “list.”

You know the one where they type in your home zip code and print out the list of providers closest to you and tell her to pick one.

Not knowing what to do, my Mom looked at the list and chose the one nearest to her home highlighted by the CM. The CM called them, but they didn’t have any beds open due to COVID staffing shortages.

So, my Mom proceeded to pick five more based on distance from her home. All had the same answer – no beds due to staffing shortages. I didn’t know that any of this was going on, but when I called later that day, she shared that she couldn’t find a rehab for her. I asked her to take a pic and send it to me (see photo).

This is the lesson for us as post-acute care providers.

 

The list – oh, that damn list! I want to cry every time I hear a Case Manager say I give out a list. While, in this case, it was an SNF list – it could have easily been a Home Health, Hospice, or In-Home Care list.

Look at that list. Yes, they will say to you – “well, we give them the star ratings to review.” But really…is that the best way?

Look how she highlighted the list – it was based on distance, so my Mom chose based on distance. This is to say; patients look to their Case Manager to help them navigate through all the choices – even when it is not a great criterion like distance.

Once I understood what was happening and that discharge was “now,” I got on the phone with some of the nurses, and while they would never come right out and say this one is good, or this one is bad, or I would rank the rehabs 1, 2, 3 – One of them said the exact words I used to say to my patients when I was an OT in the field:

“If It were MY MOTHER, I would try: Abc SNF or XYZ SNF or 123 SNF”

 

Again we are humans; they are humans; when asked, they will tell the patient their opinion, but you have to ask, and my Mom didn’t know to ask. So she simply followed the highlighted path.

It’s the hospital policy to offer a list and patient choice. The CM did that.

She also provided “outcome” measures on that list to meet the facility’s policy of “informed choice.”

I will submit it to you it’s not enough.

 

That is where you come in – you differentiate your agency beyond your star rating. How do you educate the Case Managers so that when a patient or daughter like me asks, “who would you send your mom to…” they would respond with Your agency’s name?

It’s up to you to position yourself as the expert in transitioning a patient to their home or a highlighting specific disease.

REMEMBER: It is not their job to remember you – it is YOUR job to make yourself someone they can not forget!

 

Are you struggling to differentiate yourself? Then, Roadmap to Referrals does it for you! Imagine having a new topic each week to elevate your conversations and position you as the expert in CHF, COPD, Parkinson’s, and many more!

Patients and clients deserve your care! It’s your job to engage your referral sources, so they see you as a trusted partner, and it is logical to refer to you when you are the expert!

Wondering how to do that?

We can help:

Choose a date and time for a quick consult with Mike to show you the system!

Together we GROW!

Melanie

/by

5 Tips For Retaining Your Staff During Difficult Times

Whether you’re a team leader, manager, or agency owner, your team is one of the most valuable assets your company has.

Without dedicated members of staff, you wouldn’t be able to complete necessary projects, inspire your customers, drive sales, or build your brand presence.

Unfortunately, many companies spend so much time focusing on their clients/ patients and profit margins that they forget to retain and engage their staff. Around 3 million Americans quit their job each month in search of better opportunities. 

Now that remote work solutions are making it easier for staff to find new roles anywhere, it’s even harder to convince your people that they should stay with you. 

With difficult times on the horizon for most agencies, here are some of the top strategies you can use to retain your employees and team members. 

Get Salary and Benefits Right

 

Although there’s a lot more to having a happy workforce than offering them the right salary, it pays to provide a competitive wage. Most of the talented team members that are looking for jobs right now know how much their skills are worth. If you’re not willing to pay your employees what they’re worth, they’ll find another agency.

Around 56% of employees say that healthcare and insurance concerns also keep them at their job. If you can’t offer the most competitive salary in your area, maybe you can make the job more appealing by offering additional benefits.

Everything from better flexible working options to access to private healthcare can boost your chances of getting and keeping the talent you need. 

Listen To Your Team Members

 

The easiest way to ensure that you’re going to keep staff members around is to give them a voice and listen to what they have to say. Employees are more likely to feel invested in a business that takes their opinions and insights seriously. 

With that in mind, ensure that your company culture encourages feedback and regular discussions between members of staff. If your employees aren’t happy with the way you’re currently running things, give them the opportunity to make suggestions about things they might like to change. 

Listening to your team members, even if that just means giving them a way to give anonymous feedback to your leaders, could mean that you become aware of significant issues much faster. This way, you can fix issues before they grow too large. 

Create Leaders, not Bosses

 

Everyone dreams of being the boss at their company. However, the reality is that it means a lot more to become a memorable leader. The unfortunate truth is that most of the employees in the current landscape don’t leave their business at all – they leave their manager. 

The people in your team responsible for leading others should have all the characteristics of an inspirational and motivational leader.

Look for people who can handle challenges calmly and think outside of the box.

Provide your leaders with training that will help them to manage positive and negative feedback and support their teams in achieving their goals.

 

A good leader doesn’t just dump the responsibility for mistakes onto staff members and scream at people until work gets done. Genuinely incredible leaders are the people that keep the team moving forward, even in times of trouble. 

Invest in Your Employees’ Future

 

If you’re not going to invest in your employees, why should they invest their time in your company? How can you invest in making your staff members more skilled in their roles? 

Most team members want to see a future for themselves in your business, which means that they need to continue developing their knowledge and talents. Offering training and educational opportunities is a great way to ensure that your staff members feel as though they’re moving consistently in the right direction.

HCS is here to help you do that with Roadmap to Referrals!  Invest in your staff by giving them a competitive edge! 

Build mentorship programs so that employees can teach each other and create a deep meaningful bond.   

If you’re not sure where to get started when it comes to offering training opportunities, try having one-to-one meetings with your staff. This could be a great way to develop individual plans for each of your team members. 

Make Them Proud to Work for You

 

Finally, we’re living in an age where employees don’t just want a great salary and lots of benefits from the ideal job. Your team members want to feel like they’re working for a company that’s making a positive difference in the world.  Are you a values match for them?

In today’s activism-fuelled environment, you’re either part of the problem or part of the solution.

Find out what your team members are passionate about and get involved. This could mean that you create a new green living strategy for your agency where you can cut down on your carbon emissions. Another option involves getting involved with local charities and non-profits or investing in your local community.

 

The more you show your employees that you care about more than just money, the more they’ll feel happy working with you, and the more likely it is that they’ll stay with you for the long term.

We know it’s hard right now to gain and keep your staff.  

We are here for you!  Recruiting and Retention has some practical ideas and strategies to put into action at your agency!   

Click Here to discover more about that program or jump on Mikes’s calendar for a discovery call!

Together We Grow!

Melanie 

P.S. 2022 is the year for retention!  There are easy, no-stress tactics you can use to make your staff feel your “LOVE”!!  

/by

My Uncle Sam died this week

My Uncle Sam died this week.

He was my shining star of a hospice patient. When people say, “Oh, hospice is where you go to die” or “I don’t know if my patient only has 6 mos to live.” I would use my Uncle Sam as an example.

We put my Uncle Sam on hospice 3 years ago. Without a doubt, in my mind, Sam lived longer BECAUSE of hospice than if he had not had the support that hospice afforded him.

Uncle Sam is not my real uncle – he is my husband’s, Chris, stepfather’s (who is no longer married to my mother–in–law) brother.

I know it’s confusing, but that’s what happens when your father-in-law and mother-in-law have been married 3 times each – you get LOTS of extra families!

The best part about that for me is that I get to choose who my FAVORITE is, and I have LOTS of choices – Poor Chris is stuck with limited options in my family.  🙂

Uncle Sam lived a very adventurous life.

He was a pilot in the Navy and rose to the rank of Captain for TWA, who then was bought by American.

Sam was full of wild, amazing stories and was so witty. You know, the kind of wit that sometimes hurts like a paper cut. He would throw out there a “zinger,” and you would laugh, and then 2 minutes later, you would say – “Ouch,” that stung a little!

So, when Alzheimer’s took his cognitive ability and mobility, I knew hospice was the right answer. His doctors at the VA wanted him to be an inpatient at a long-term care facility, but my Aunt Linda promised that she would care for him in their home, and so we took him home, and he was served by hospice.

Aunt Linda called last week and shared that Sam was actively dying. She asked me to come and sit with her and Sam. The hospice team was fantastic! She had daily visits over the last week from all the disciplines- nursing, SW, Chaplain, aides.

As you can imagine, being on caseload for so long, the clinical team had a deep relationship with Sam and Linda.

The hospice prepared Aunt Linda well for his passing. She had the medications, and she was well informed about using them for his pain.

We sat with Sam and told fun Sam stories. Sam was VERY colorful. He liked to “shock” folks and walk away like he didn’t just say what he said. The first time he did this to me, I was dating my husband Chris – we would come to Fairhope and work on the family boat.

As a child, Chris grew up on this sailboat– sailing every weekend in the summer, but it had sat neglected in the slip for about 10 yrs. So, when we decided to “get back into sailing,” there was a TON of work to be done.

I took on restoring the teak in the cabin. It was hard work, sanding, inside the cabin in the AL summer heat. Sawdust sticking to every inch of your sweaty skin.

Even though I sanded and sanded, I could not get out the water damage marks, so I decided to stain it.
(not knowing then that that’s not the best method of restoration – but hey, this was before we all had you tube in our pockets- how was I supposed to know?) So I stained it, and I thought it looked GREAT!

Later that day – after I cleaned up my work tools, I was ready to show it off! I was SO excited. I thought it made a BIG difference in the cabin. I called Uncle Sam down to see my handy work.

Uncle Sam came aboard with his ever-present cigar in his right hand – stepped down into the companionway, stood up in the cabin, and looked around. I said, “Uncle Sam, how do you like it?” grinning from ear to ear proudly, awaiting him to tell me my hard work paid off, and it looked great! Sam said, “It looks great if you are going to make it a floating bordello.”

He turned and climbed the stairs back up the companionway giggling to himself and shaking his head. I looked around and started laughing too. He was right. It was a little “reddish” – ok, I think I might have used Cherry stain – OMG, what was I thinking?

But Sam just laughed, and later that night at dinner at his house, he said, “Well, Mel – you did a good job at cleaning the wood. And the red-well it matches your hair – so what the hell? Good God, woman, next time, do some research!”

That was Sam – quick with a laugh and putting you in your place at the same time.

Sam passed on Sunday with Aunt Linda at his side. I was at my house getting ready to go over to their house for the day, and Linda text “Mel, I think you need to come now. Uncle Sam is not breathing much” And so I did.

Uncle Sam passed within the hour. He was surrounded by Aunt Linda, myself, and his devoted in-home care caregiver for the last 4 yrs – Trish. (Trish was a private pay caregiver 8 hrs a day 5 days a week for 4 yrs and had become like family to Sam and Linda)

I called the hospice nurse Tara who came to pronounce, call the funeral home and dispose of the medications. She was exactly who you hoped would be there for Aunt Linda, and she executed the plan flawlessly. I am grateful to have been reminded of our clinicians’ fantastic work in the home.

Uncle Sam didn’t have any children, so it was up to Chris and me to write the obit, deliver the eulogy, organize the service and generally be the funeral “director” of the event.

It was a whirlwind of the last few days, but the service was perfect, and Aunt Linda LOVED it – and that was the promise we made Uncle Sam to, in his words, “plant him in the ground” and get Linda through it. We did.

Home Care is the gift we give the patient and their families.

I know you are out there every day sharing your message of hospice, home health, and in-home care so that more people are impacted (just like our family) by your services.

 

Thank you for all you do!

 

You make a difference for families!

 

Melanie

P.S. Want to read more about the “legend” that is Uncle Sam – click here
https://www.corbittsfuneralhome.com/obituary/SamuelClifford-Slaton

 

P.S.S. Want to impact more lives through your marketing messages – click here to discuss how you can with Mike

/by

Home Care Marketing: Are you an expert like Mary Lynn?

Mom’s outpatient treatments were completed in the ambulatory center.

She went every day for five days for treatment.

My brother went for the 1st three, then shift change, and I went for the last 2.

My Mom was a school teacher for 32 years and is SUPER sweet. So in the car, when she told me:

“Mel, if I get the nurse from yesterday, I will ask for another one she was not very good at getting my IV in.”

I said, “Ok, Mom, let’s see who it is.”

We were brought back, and Mom sat in the chair. They are not actual “rooms.” They have just curtained “rooms,” so of course, you can hear everyone’s conversation.

The lady next to us said to the MA who took everyone’s vitals – “I want Mary Lynn to start my IV – that nurse yesterday didn’t know what she was doing, and she stabbed me four times before she called Mary Lynn – so let’s just start with Mary Lynn.”

Mom looked at me and nodded her head as if to say, “See, I told you – I want Mary Lynn too.”

 

The curtains opened, and a nurse who looked to be in her late 40s with an air of confidence said to my Mom and me,“Hi, I am Mary Lynn. I will be doing your treatment today.”

I could see my Mom nod her head and smile behind her mask – “Oh good, I was hoping I would get you!”

Mary Lynn said – “well, good cuz here I am!”

According to my Mom, Mary Lynn moved around my Mom with the assurance and skill to pop in the IV on the first try without pain.

After the treatment, my Mom said to Mary Lynn – “You are a really good nurse. I hope I get you again.”

Mary Lynn said to my Mom, “Oh, thanks – I love my job, and I have been practicing a long time, so my IV skills are pretty good.”

My Mom said, ‘It shows.”

 

What can we learn from Mary Lynn?

 

CONFIDENCE makes people FEEL WELL CARED FOR AND SECURE!

 

How do you get “Confidence.”

By gaining KNOWLEDGE!

 

How do you gain knowledge in the post-acute space?

 

  • Read: Do you know…
    • Medicare Home Health Chapter 7 of the Benefits Policy Manual
    • The LCDs for your area?
    • Do you subscribe to the industry news?

 

  • TRAIN: Be like a champion!
    • Do you invest in your skills?
    • How do you measure your successes?

 

You do not MAGICALLY become an expert – you train to become one!

And then DO – Like Mary Lynn – you have to practice!

You can be the Post Acute Care Expert!

And just like Mary Lynn – people will “request” you when you can help them navigate the sea of providers!

Ready to train?

We got your path to become a Post Acute Care Expert – Join US!

 

Want to discover how YOU can become an expert? Click here to reserve time on Mike’s Calendar and he’ll show you the proven techniques that are helping agencies grow.

 

Together We Grow!

Melanie

/by

Two Types of Marketers in Home Care, Hospice, and Home Health Marketing

There are two types of Marketers.

In the world of Home Health, Hospice, and In-Home Care, we see two types of Marketers.

There are Amateurs:

    • They fear cold calling.
    • They have call reluctance.
    • They wonder what to say and what frequency to visit an account.
    • They do not know who to call on.
    • When they go out in the field, they make 100s of “visits” but don’t get referrals.
    • They are unsure how to follow up.
    • They are unaware of how to not be a pest.
    • They rely on “hope” and rely on the idea that enough activity will get them “some” referrals.
    • Their referrals are not consistent. They can’t count on their pipeline to give them monthly results.
    • They always struggle.

Then there are Professionals:

    • These are the marketers who are the top producers.
    • They consistently get rewarded for their performance.
    • They have the confidence that others lack.
    • They love their jobs.
    • They are good at them.
    • They make investments into their marketing skillsets.
    • They understand they are a student of the “game.”  Like any sports athlete, they know they must study and scrimmage.
    • They don’t let their ego get in the way of their learning and personal growth.  Because they prioritize referral results over everything else, these people win over and over.

Amateur or Professional: Which one would you classify yourself or your sales team members?

An honest evaluation will help you understand where your sales efforts are currently and where they are going.

Consider these simple seven questions:

    1. Are you currently hitting your sales goals or at least making your minimums?
    2. How many new accounts did you visit in the last 30 days?
    3. What are the top three types of accounts you are most likely to get referrals from?
    4. Consider the last 3-5 referrals you received. Did those come from the same referral source? If not, how long has it been since you received a referral from that same referral source?
    5. Still considering the last 3-5 referrals, Do you have a follow-up protocol? Is it similar for each one?
    6. Would you say that your referral sources see you as an “extension” of their office? Do they look at you like a partner or a vendor?
    7. Besides this article, when was the last time you researched, studied, or trained to become a better salesperson?

After answering these questions, you should have some idea of where you may fit on the scale of Amateur to Professional. The key here is more than maintaining a few good relationships. Everything hinges on your ability to consistently evolve with a market that is going to change.

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that the industry absolutely will change. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but before you know it, you will need new methods and techniques to continue to stay on top. We have to evolve to make sure our success story doesn’t end during times of change but continues to thrive.

You may have noticed a subject that we never covered. Your tenure (how long you’ve been with your company). You see, being an amateur or a professional has NOTHING to do with the number of years you have been in the field.

It’s all about your ability to deliver a result.

 

Become a professional!

Click here to discover how with Mike.

 

Together We Grow!

Melanie

/by

Home Health Marketing Strategies: Transitional Care Management

We made an appt for Mom at her PCP within seven days of her d/c from the hospital. That is just good practice.

He didn’t even know she was in the hospital until we called and talked with his nurse when Mom got home. So when I flew home the following Monday, we went into the PCP office.

He really is an excellent doctor. My Mom has been going to him for YEARS! My Mom has great confidence in him.

He completed a physical exam and reviewed her hospital discharge report. He kept asking Mom when did she get out of the hospital. She couldn’t remember. I couldn’t either. We managed to narrow it down to 2 days.

My brother had been with her during that time, so I texted him. The doctor found it on the paperwork, started counting on his fingers, and said, ” Okay, great, six days ago!”

…And then said:

“Alright, great, I can click this and say it was less than seven days ago.” And a light bulb went off – Transitional Care Management – TCM!

So I asked.

“Are you asking that for TCM?” He said. “I don’t know what that is, but if you click this button if the patient is in the office before seven days d/c, the billers are happy.”

What is Medicare Transitional Care Management (TCM)?

 

According to AAFP: Transitional Care Management (TCM) services address the hand-off period between the inpatient and community setting. After a hospitalization or other inpatient facility stay (e.g., in a skilled nursing facility), the patient may be dealing with a medical crisis, new diagnosis, or change in medication therapy. Family physicians often manage their patients’ transitional care.

TCM coding: 

 

The two CPT codes used to report TCM services are:

  • CPT code 99495 – moderate medical complexity requiring a face-to-face visit within 14 days of discharge
  • CPT code 99496 – high medical complexity requiring a face-to-face visit within seven days of discharge

 

If you have a patient or client discharged from the hospital, you can be a HUGE asset to that PCP to prompt them that their patient has been D/C’d from a hospital and may be eligible for TCM billing.

How many times do PCPs not even know a patient was in the hospital?

My Moms PCP didn’t know.

We called him!

Imagine all the bonus points you would get if you alerted your PCPs to patients or clients who have recently D/C’d so they could make that appointment in the office within 7 or 14 days from D/C?

You would be the HERO!

 

Isn’t that so cool!

We have a whole module on TCM and how to help position you as the agency of choice when you help your PCPs PRODUCE MORE REVENUE!

This is your time to be a true care partner!

Ready to go deeper in TCM?

Reach out to Mike and discover the module!

 

Together We Grow!

Melanie

/1 Comment/by

Please don’t let your marketers sound like this jackwagon

As you know, I have been caring for my Mom and have been traveling quite a bit. I recently received an “unsolicited” voicemail on my phone.

Every time I get a voice message or email, I always look at it through the lens of being a marketer. As a business owner I think, “is this compelling to get me to call them back?”

As you know, Cheryl and I have been upgrading many of our proven Home Health, Home, and Hospice marketing educational messages to include “remote” voicemails and emails.

We work really hard to make the educational messages compelling, business relevant, and with integrity.

Back to the voicemail.

He left the following message:

“Hey, this is JW from HW office. I just had a quick question for you. So please give me a call back at xxx.xxx.xxxx.”

 

Now when I listened, I was not sure who this was.

Was he a client? Was he someone I met at a recent conference? I didn’t know.

But if he was a client or potential client, I wanted to get him the info he needed to move his business forward. I was at a doctor’s appointment with my Mom, and I went to the car to return the call.

He said:

“This is JW.”  I said, “Hello JW, this is Melanie Stover returning your phone call.”

 

JW: “Oh great, Melanie, a while back, you ordered our cards on how to overcome objections, and that’s just the start of what we have to offer. Tell me, how did you like the cards?”

 

(Challenge #1 – While he didn’t lie on the Voice Mail – he used vagueness and omission to get me to call him back)

Me: “Yes, I got your cards to thank you. They were interesting.”

JW: “Interesting. Hmmm. What industry are you in, Melanie?”

 

(Challenge #2 – JW didn’t bother to even google my name – smart prospecting is at the VERY least know SOMETHING about your prospect)

Me: “Healthcare- Home Health, Hospice, and In-Home Care.”

JW: “Huh. So you don’t sell anything, and you bought objection cards? Do you bill insurance?”

 

(Challenge #3 – Open-ended questions would have got him the correct answers or at least learned how he might position his services as a solution to any of my problems, but he asked a closed-ended, yes-or-no question)

Me: No, I do not bill insurance, but the agencies I work with do.

JW: “Ok yeah, well, I don’t know much about how healthcare works with sales. But we appreciate you ordering the cards. Hope you have a good day.”

 

(Challenge #4 – don’t throw in the towel. Ask me some good open-ended questions. I spent $30 with them previously – why not ask – how I was using them? If I didn’t like my purchase – What would have made them better?)

He missed so much opportunity to LEARN SOMETHING – EVEN IF I was NOT going to buy anything else. How many times do you think you have “left something on the table? And just walked away from an account.

That is why we have a specific script for Step 4, the Reveal Call – before you exit – you can ALWAYS learn something that might save this account OR help you at the following account!

Me: “You too.”

JW: “Bye”

Me: “Bye”

JW did a few things that turned me off right away. He was not getting my business because of it.

I was busy with my Mom I really didn’t want to take the time to return his call but didn’t want to chance that it was one of our clients.

So when I quickly realized it was a sales call, that didn’t feel good.

What could he have done instead?

We teach in our programs to gain interest and create a compelling valid business reason for calling back.

He used vagueness as his “reason to call back,” and that is not enough.

Here is the framework we teach:

  • WHO – Who are you, where are you from
  • WHAT – Reason for your call – Educational message
  • WHY – What’s in it for them
  • CTA – call to action for a callback

And do it all with INTEGRITY!

Is INTEGRITY a differentiator?

 

I would submit to you YES!

A Home Health Marketer, Hospice Liaison, or In-Home Care rep with integrity SAVES your referral sources TIME! And TIME IS MONEY!

JW is not saving me time. In fact, he COST me time when I should have been moving on to another appointment with my Mom.

How are your reps being perceived by your referral sources?

Do you know what voicemails your reps are leaving?

Do they have all the components of our framework?

Do you get callbacks from your VMs?

We have got the library of scripts and templates for you in our Roadmap to Referrals Program if you don’t. Click here to grab a time on Mikes’s calendar that will work for you to explore more!

Together We Grow!

Melanie

 

P.S. I might have been home for too long. The original subject line (for those in western PA) was “don’t be a jag like this guy.” But then I thought the rest of the country would have no idea what I was talking about! Go Stillers!

/by

Continuing Adaptation – How OT helped my Mom be safe and how it plays into Marketing for Home Care, Hospice, and Home Health

This week I am back at Mom’s, taking her to all her follow-up appts – it’s about one a day plus her Home Health visits.

The Home Health Nurse, OT, and PT are weaving around my Mom’s Dr’s schedule and doing a great job!

My Mom lives in a cape-cod style house where the whole upper floor is her bedroom, and she upgraded her bathroom a few years ago to her dream bathroom.

As you can imagine, her “patient-centered goal” is to get upstairs to sleep in her bedroom and use that bathroom.

 

However, since her daughter is an OT (that would be me, and she now refers to me as the taskmaster to all the healthcare professionals we have appts with :-0 ), she is in my childhood bedroom on the main floor using a transfer tub bench and a handheld shower that I had my brother install before she got home from the hospital.

This adaptation is “fine” with her now, but she wants to go upstairs in her own bed and her awesome shower.

But, she is limited right now. Standing in that awesome shower comes with risk. I don’t know who thought that tile would be a good idea, but just yesterday, I nearly bit it walking out – it’s SUPER slippy when wet!

She is limited, but she has a CLEAR OT and PT goal – upstairs, her own room, her own bathroom. She is learning new compensation techniques that will serve her in achieving her goal.

She will be there in no time. I see her getting stronger every day. My other brother Justin just got here today from AZ to take the ‘next shift” of “Mom helping” when I return home this weekend.

What does this have to do with you and marketing?

 

  1. COVID has made us “adapt” – pre COVID we marketed one way – “post-event” we have to market another way. Those who “adapted” the fastest reduced their time to get to their “goals” of more referrals.
  2. Compensation tactics and new skills. No one I know who is a home health marketer or hospice liaison wants to “remote” market only, but the skills they developed last year through using our sales email library in the Roadmap to Referrals gave them an edge. And this year, it’s just part of our fabric of marketing. We can go farther faster!
  3. CLEAR GOALS! What is your goal? The number. The timeframe. Speak it into existence. Give your goals LIFE! Mom is VERY clear about her goal. Upstairs in her room and using her fantastic bathroom. Because she is so clear – she will get there! And you will achieve your goals too when you are crystal clear on what success looks like for you!

 

Marketing for Home Health, Home Care, and Hospice is a journey. We are here at HCS to help you with a roadmap. Much like Mom’s OT and PT have a clinical pathway for her treatment plan, so can you. So if you are looking for a clear path to success, we have got your back – Roadmap to Referrals is your answer!

 

Jump on Mikes’s calendar, and he can show you the “on-ramp” to success!

Continuing adaptation is the key this year!

We would be honored to serve you – connect with Mike now!

 

Together we grow!

Remember, persistence pays off!

Melanie

/by

OMG FINALLY – Mom is home AND has Home Health

Good news 21 days later, Mom is home, AND she has a Home Health Nurse, PT, and OT!

 

Yeah! Persistence pays off!

 

When I last left you, Mom was back in the hospital; her platelet count was rising, and we were in a little bit of a panic.

 

Her platelets were over 2 million, and we were a little nervous.

 

More pheresis, more medication, and one super scary A fib incident where her heart rate was over 165 laying in bed.

Mom was on the “ortho” floor. Why?

 

Because that is where a free bed was in the pandemic and you take what you can get! Her nurse Sara was super! She was not cardiac or from hematology, but she was knowledgeable, had an excellent bedside manner, and knew that she needed to get back up when the monitors went a little wacky with my Mom’s A-Fib.

 

So she called the critical care team.

 

According to my Mom, the critical care team came flying in to get her condition under control while Sara waved at my Mom and gave her the thumbs-up sign through the window. My Mom reported she thought she would meet God and come back to tell us about it, and Sara was an angel encouraging her to “stay with her.”

 

The care team got my Mom’s cardiac condition under control in about an hour. And then my Mom texted me and said, “Well, I guess it was not my time. I am still here!”

 

 

That was a heck of a text message. I am grateful she was in the hospital, and she was able to be cared for by the nurses and doctors so quickly.

 

This time Sara, my Mom’s nurse, identified early that my Mom needed PT and OT. She requested PT and OT bedside. After 4 Pheresis later and medication adjustments, Mom was ready to D/C!

 

And without prompting – the hospital Ordered Home Health!

 

(Of Course, it helped that Interim of Western PA knew precisely where my Mom was and was following up. As I had emailed them to tell them not to come out to assess as my Mom had gone back into the hospital before they could even get out there!)

 

Great news! And now I get to tell you how professional and kind the nurses and therapists were for my Mom!

 

With my Mom’s platelets being dramatically reduced to about 550k, she is much more functional. However, she is weak and still a fall risk. She has a new diagnosis of Afib and new medication. My brother and I will take turns taking her to her appointments, but she is looking ‘more like her old self” than I have seen her in a long time.

 

The nurses are helping her understand her disease process and educating her on “what pill to take when.”

 

The therapists are helping her get stronger and increase her endurance. They are also helping her understand the limitations and compensation techniques to be independent in the home. In addition, we have activated a telemonitoring device, Pro-Health, from ECG to be safe, and I can monitor her vital signs from afar.

 

As one of our favorite coaches, Michelle, reminds us, “It takes a team”!

 

I am grateful to everyone on my Mom’s care team for helping us get her back to her home.

 

Her patient-centered goal is to get “back to dancing.” – Hopefully, soon, I will be writing a blog about how Mom is dancing again!

 

Marketing lessons learned from Moms readmission:

 

  • Persistence pays off! Man, did I fight for my Mom to have Home Health. It boggles my mind how much effort I had to put forth to get mom home health. Patient advocacy is what we do every day.

 

This was a HUGE reminder that our referral sources are doing the best they can – in unusual conditions during this pandemic. They are tired. We are not top of mind which is why you have to CONSISTENTLY be out there sharing your message of Home Care, Home Health, and Hospice!

 

  • Get help when you need it! Sara (bless her heart) was an ortho nurse. However, due to the hospital being full, she had my Mom – a cardiac / hematology patient. When she didn’t know what to do, she called in the critical care team!

 

As a home care marketer, home health liaison, or hospice representative, there are PLENTY of times when you don’t know how to approach an account or get past the gatekeeper. Think of us as your Critical Care Team!

 

  • We got your back here at HCS!

 

Remember, persistence pays off!

Melanie

 

P.S. Do you need Home Care Sales as your Critical Care Team? We got you covered. Click Here to -> Set up a time with Mike for a free consultation and discover how you can go from challenged to champion in just 90 days!

/by