Dialysis Clinics
Dialysis Clinics are run on daily/weekly shifts/rotations: Daily, 2 or 3 shifts Dialysis generally lasts 3-6 hrs Common shifts are 6am-12pm and 10am-4pm Shifts usually overlap each other Some clinics also offer evening/night dialysis shifts, and home dialysis Weekly, 1 or 2 rotations M-W-F and/or T-Th-S
10-30 pts per shift, depending on total number of chairs/stations ~50% of pts are diabetic Many pts are on Medicare, 65+ and/or disability Steady turnaround Easy to market to several diabetics in one place
Social Worker Main purpose is to provide pts assistance in getting them the things they need Dietician (Renal) Main purpose is to teach patients about diet and daily routine specific to dialysis, and to monitor them Both Work hands-on with pts & know them fairly well Most often have the patients interest in mind Generally open to products/services that can help their pts, especially at no cost Usually work in more than one clinic Often available to talk with upon initial sales call Have some pull with upper-management decisions
Clinical Manager Usually an RN Makes many of the decisions for that clinic Has a lot of pull with upper management Large network can lead you to other Clinical Managers and their clinics; mandatory district management meetings, etc. Direct contact to district manager Once you get an okay for one clinic, usually it s an okay for the rest of the clinics under the same district manager
Monitors Increase compliance diabetics are often here because they did not monitor their diabetes properly Talks in English/Spanish often loss of vision occurs simultaneously with kidney disease, decrease room for human error No coding less confusion, less steps to remember, lowers room for human error Deliver supplies to home mobility is an issue for many Medicare covers 80% and 20% co-pays on all testing supplies are covered by us if no secondary coverage money an issue
Shoes Poor Circulation (swelling, dryness, open wounds), Neuropathy (numbness, tingling, burning), Calluses/Ulcers, Toe Deformities These symptoms are prevalent with dialysis pts Toe Fillers amputation common with dialysis pts Many can t afford to buy new shoes money is often an issue Medicare covers 80% and 20% co-pay (could be $40-80) is covered by us if no secondary coverage money an issue
Individual Referrals Give all info to Social Worker, Dietician, Clinical Manager, etc. Leave info in the lobby for pts to take Make sure your business cards are stapled to any literature (Dr. Comfort catalogs, Prodigy fliers, etc.) Have pts and/or dialysis clinic call you or fax you w/ pts info. Can service pts in the clinic or at the their home Group Schedule a full day or days to come in and set up a table in the lobby to display the shoes/monitors Specific times/days for the event will depend on the clinics shifts/rotations
Some clinics have tight regulations regarding allowing outside business in the clinic Make sure to acknowledge that you understand they may have some restrictions, but that you ve been successful working with other clinics Make sure they understand your intensions are to help their pts, and not just to sell They will probably require that you present the products to all of their pts, not just diabetics no favoring allowed; easy to fulfill request Do not give your hopes up if one clinic says no. Often the decision is based on how much the Social Worker, Dietician, Clinical Manager push the upper-management. It is very likely you could market to another clinic within the same company that will allow your business, and eventually will be able to go back to the one that denied and get an okay
Nephrologists Each Dialysis Clinic has at least one Nephrologist that services their pts Some have their own private clinic, others work in a larger hospital or clinic with other physicians Many dialysis pts consider these to be there PCP, and do not have any other doctor, so they will be the ones signing the CMNs for shoes/monitors Always a good idea to network with these doctors for additional referrals through other locations in which they are affiliated
Dialysis Clinics, whether small privately owned or affiliated with a large group such as Fresenius or DaVita, usually have other local clinics Often they use similar Nephrologists or Nephrologist Groups One district manager could manage several clinics in your sales area Social Workers and Dieticians often rotate btw two local clinics Always ask questions about their other locations and the names of the Decision Makers for future marketing opportunities One Dialysis Clinic may lead you to several other dialysis clinics and physicians