ATLANTA — If you talk to a consultant long enough, you realize quickly that there are no "mistakes" in the land of corporate speak, only "learning opportunities." By the same token, there are no "problems," only "challenges."
But HME owners toiling in the school of hard knocks know better. Mistakes happen, and they can be costly.
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Cindy Ciardo of Knueppel HealthCare didn't anticipate a five-year headache when a local hospital approached her about opening a women's health specialty shop.
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Black Bear Medical's Jim Greatorex didn't know the assistive approach his staff used with complex rehab patients wouldn't be appreciated by other customers when he added a uniform line.
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Peter Czapla of Quality Home Healthcare says he sometimes can't resist a good bargain, and that leads to disappointment.
With the changing face of health care, lower reimbursements galore and general industry upheaval, minimizing mistakes is important.
Learn from these providers' stories and others in My Biggest Mistake, available online and in the May 2011 print edition.