ATLANTA – A March 28 article in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) makes a case that the long-held tradition of doctors, dentists, and other practitioners occupying “hospitals and traditional office buildings” may be on the decline. Medtrade presenter Maria Claire Markusen (pictured) sees the trend as an opportunity for DME providers looking to get into the caretail/retail world.
WSJ reporter Esther Fung writes that landlords are now “trying to attract medical practitioners to slumping malls and strip centers” in light of rising vacancy rates at shopping centers.
“My optimism grows when I see something like this [WSJ article] get published, because DME providers have access through retail to complete price transparency,” says Markusen, director of Development, VGM Retail. “Retail is all about price transparency, whereas if you go to the doctor, it’s difficult to get at that price. DME providers can take hold of what customers really want in a way that traditional health care operators can’t do.”
Markusen sees the trend as another sign that health care consumers are transitioning from “sickness to health and wellness.” It’s something consumers want, and greater visibility in traditional retail centers is one way to increase visibility for providers seeking caretailing opportunities.
Markusen plans to share this message in presentations planned during VGM’s Heartland Conference, scheduled for June 12-15 in Waterloo, Iowa. She is planning another session at Medtrade, scheduled for Oct 23-26, 2017, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.
“The panels were so successful at Medtrade Spring earlier this year, and so much fun for us on the retail team, that we are anxious to get back in and submit some more ideas for Medtrade in Atlanta,” says Markusen. “One of our ideas is to talk about the shift from sickness to wellness and how caretailers can take hold of that movement and use it to build their business.”
The Medtrade Call for Presentations went out last week. Due date to submit proposals is April 27.
To submit a proposal and/or get more information, CLICK HERE.
