Medical Device Link.

Originally Published MX September/October 2005

ADVERTISING, DISTRIBUTION, & SALES

Prentke Romich Co. (PRC; Wooster, OH) pioneered the development of augmentative and alternative communication devices for the speech-impaired in the late 1960s. Today, PRC's speech-output products, therapy materials, and support services help children and adults with physical and cognitive impairments express themselves more effectively and participate more fully in life and relationships.

PRC's transitioning toolkit for SLPs includes an expert's guide to transitioning, a language development wall chart, a parent's guide to language milestones, a skills evaluation practice book, a guide to writing individualized education program objectives, and templates of transitioning authorization letters. Photo courtesy Gianfagna Marketing & Communications. (click to enlarge)

PRC's beginner-level device is SpringBoard. Some users eventually maximize SpringBoard's capabilities and are ready for a more sophisticated PRC device, such as Vanguard or Vantage.

Transitioning a client to a higher-level device can be challenging for the speech-language pathologist (SLP) who must assess the user's readiness for transition; communicate with parents, administrators, and insurance companies about the need to transition; and enable the client to continue advancing his or her communication skills on the new device.

PRC recognized that SLPs needed help with the transition process. Since few professional support materials about transitioning exist, the company decided to create an easy-to-use resource with a variety of assessment and transitioning tools.

"Our goal was to make the transition process easier for SLPs and their clients," notes David L. Moffatt, PRC president. "We were already offering a wide array of valuable professional resources, but we realized that consolidating them in a single kit would make the resources easier to access and implement."

In just eight weeks, PRC and its marketing agency, Gianfagna Marketing & Communications Inc. (Cleveland), created a Transitioning Toolkit for SLPs. Housed in a sturdy box with a handle for easy transport to classrooms or user locations, the kit includes an expert's guide to transitioning, a language development wall chart, a parent's guide to language milestones, a skills evaluation practice book, a guide to writing individualized education program objectives, and templates of transitioning authorization letters. Also part of the package is a CD-ROM with more than 60 support and teaching materials and a choice of value-added benefits that come with the purchase of a higher-level device.

"This project challenged us to find a creative way to present a large volume of complex information in an accessible format," says Jean Gianfagna, president of Gianfagna Marketing. "Our creative and project management team did a terrific job of designing and producing a kit that is both comprehensive and user-friendly."

PRC anticipates in excess of $200,000 in incremental sales from the kit in the first year, and nearly $1 million in sales over a three-year period. SLPs have embraced the kit, and PRC calls it one of the best products it has ever made. The kit won an award in the Innovative Programs category in the Medical Marketing Association's 2005 In-Awe competition.

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