Homecare has taken another body blow. Announced future cutbacks coupled with a dismal presidential budget has cast a pall over homecare. Publically traded homecare stocks have tanked as investors now pull out of a sector that has previously been a bright spot in an overall gloomy market. And it’s our fault. Despite improved homecare sales as measured by increased homecare admissions, our failure to make the essential sale is self evident.
The mantra of Sales 101 is identification of buyers needs followed by providing solutions to meet those needs. Repeat sales depend primarily on continually providing value to buyers while developing a strong relationship that makes future sales less time and capital expensive. But evidentially, we’ve failed to provide value interpretation to the biggest buyer of healthcare in general, and homecare in particular, the Federal Government.
Without providing adequate value interpretation of homecare to our elected representatives, confusion reigns in Washington. We have been commoditized and “homecare” as perceived by congress, and apparently the President. The government, therefore, is looking for a low bidder of “homecare.” If the general perception of our elected representatives of “homecare” is that of unskilled home services that includes light housekeeping, meal preparation, “babysitting,” and escorted trips to the grocery store, they can hardly be blamed.
We know that’s not “homecare,” but that’s not the point. It’s what the buyer perceives that matters. If we had been diligent in continuous education of our elected representatives by providing ongoing value interpretation of homecare as THE alternative to increasing skyrocketing medical costs of inpatient care; if we had provided value interpretation of how homecare saves shrinking dollar resources of care to the elderly and they “got it,” we wouldn’t find ourselves in a defensive scramble. And we understand all too well if we fail in now in a last ditch attempt to stop projected cuts, weak homecare companies will find themselves bankrupt and out of business reminiscent of PPS inception.
In this newly heralded era of financial bailouts, how is it failing automotive industries can get extra taxpayer money to survive to continue to make arguably inferior global products when homecare gets reduced funding from the very same federal government? Sure, lots of jobs are dependent on the automotive industry, but more numerous than homecare jobs? And while not maligning auto-workers in their very real financial plight, and not to argue that one job is more important than another job, let me air my prejudices. We’re talking about jobs that make cars compared to homecare workers who give dignity, independence, and hope to people. Advocates of patients compared to advocates of unions.
But the hard, bitter, unfortunate truth is that the automotive industry simply sells its value to our elected represented officials better than homecare has done. But it doesn’t have to stay that way. And we do have a particular advantage. The people and families who depend on quality skilled homecare services can vote. These are the same people who have decided buying a new car at the present time is not a prudent expense.
All homecare must engage in a grassroots campaign with all our patients and their families and bring every ounce of political clout to bear on our representatives. We must endeavor to renew efforts to help our elected representatives understand the real value of homecare and why cutbacks in homecare are shortsighted and will ultimately increase the overall cost of healthcare. We must not only make the case for the value of homecare but bear proof.
In the future, I hope we will make the education of the elected folks who determine where taxpayer dollars are spent a continuous process so the value interpretation of homecare provided would forestall future panicked efforts to ultimately save not only our jobs, but our patients as well.
M. Tray Dunaway, MD, FACS, CSP helps homecare organizations and workers who want to take care of patients, and each other, better. As a staunch advocate of the value of homecare, he helps homecare provide value interpretation to all its buyers and is an award winning keynote speaker. He can be contacted directly at tray@traydunaway.com.
Post a Comment