Cape Medical Supply Lauded for Public Education Initiatives

Published on Tuesday, August 10, 2010

The Following article is reprinted from HME News, the paper of record for the home medical equipment industry.  PLEASE CLICK HERE to proceed to HME News' original online article, and be sure to sign-up for our online newsletter to be notified of future educational outreach opportunities in your community.

Educate the public and grow your business
'It shows that we are taking a more holistic view of our role in the community'
By Mike Moran Executive Editor - 07.23.2010

SANDWICH, Mass. – Cape Medical Supply has discovered a cool way to boost its community standing and get new CPAP patients: Host free educational lectures on sleep for the public.

“It shows that we are taking a more holistic view of our role in the community and that we are active in education, trying to help people rather than just sell stuff,” said President Gary Sheehan.

Over the past year and a half or so, Cape Medical has hosted several such hour-long presentations with 40 to 60 people attending each time, he said.

“A lot of patients are set up and then just kind of neglected by their initial provider—so we actually get a lot of patients from other providers,” he said. “Either the provider is not responsive, hasn’t done any follow-up, the mask doesn’t fit, the machine is in a closet somewhere but the wife is complaining so they are going to try and give it another shot. We hear all kinds of different stuff, but the common theme is whoever their initial provider partner was, they were not following up.”

Of course, Sheehan pointed out, it requires a significant marketing effort to host a successful sleep lecture. You need to send out press releases, talk about it to physicians and sleep labs, and buy ads in local newspapers.