If you’ve been keeping up on recent activities at Comfort Company, you’ve probably noticed the Bozeman, Mont.-based seating manufacturer has been strengthening its presence in the most complex segment of seating.
For example, Comfort Company has a new blog library (blog.comfortcompany.com/blog) for industry professionals and other stakeholders. Recent contributions have come from Torger Sikveland of the manufacturer’s Government & Industry Affairs division (“CMS Pays $43,000 for a Wheelchair Cushion”), and Lauren Rosen, PT, MPT, MSMS, ATP/SMS (“Seating Tips: Finding Appropriate Seating Solutions for Kids”).
On the technology side, Comfort Company has announced a new pressure mapping system, and a new mounting bracket to make all Comfort Company Acta series rehab backrests compatible with Quantum Rehab’s TRU-Balance 3 seating systems (see stories in News, this issue). The manufacturer has also incorporated GlideWear into its product portfolio specifically to address issues of friction, microclimate and shear.
And Comfort Company recently named Stacey Mullis, OTR/L, ATP, its new director of clinical education.
The manufacturer is already well known for its skin protection and positioning in a number of product categories, including wheelchair seat cushions, backrests and lower- and upper-extremity positioning accessories. But these recent actions suggest the manufacturer is making additional investments to serve wheelchair clients who have the most complex needs.
Greater Educational Support
VP of Marketing Eric Murphy told Mobility Management that Comfort Company is definitely increasing its commitment to and investment in complex rehab.
“We have made a major commitment as an organization to step up our game in the complex rehab segment,” Murphy said. “Although our company has some long-term care roots, we have segmented our business to ensure we maintain our laser focus on the rehab market. The hiring of Stacey is part of this plan, which allows us to not only improve the quality of products we manufacture, but also establishes Comfort Company as an education resource for both our internal staff and our customers.”
ATPs and clinicians can expect greater educational support now that Mullis is serving as director.
“What drives me is a passion for the people we serve, the end users,” Mullis said. “With the direction of our company moving towards education and being a resource to our customers, my role involves providing the education and training internally as well as externally. This involves developing programs, CEU courses, Webinars, blogs, articles, and videos that will answer the questions our customers are asking. It is my hope that our ATPs and clinicians will recognize these efforts and feel supported in their daily endeavors. It is a joy to be a part of this process!”
Building Upon Previous Advantages
In the past, Comfort Company’s core has been cost-effective solutions for wheelchair users with mild to moderate skin protection, positioning and adjustability needs. Given the manufacturer’s new focus on complex rehab, Murphy was asked if Comfort Company would still offer and develop products for that mild/moderate segment.
“We try to make it our goal to manufacture the best-quality products to fit those mild/moderate skin protection and/or positioning product categories,” he said. “Because of this, you will never see Comfort Company as the lowest-priced option, but hopefully people will continue to recognize the value that comes from a quality product within these low to mid product segments. Fortunately, this has been a strength of ours in the past, and we don’t expect to see any change in this area.”
Comfort Company has also been able to be highly responsive with its product offerings, able to custom fabricate solutions for specific clients quickly and cost effectively. Will the manufacturer continue to work to be cost effective for ATPs while answering the often complicated needs of clinicians?
“Absolutely,” Murphy said. “The one thing that we understand is that every patient is completely different when it comes to seating. We feel that if we want to be one of the best in rehab, we have no choice but to offer a complete solution with the option to customize products when needed. Although this can create manufacturing challenges, the ability to be highly nimble as an organization is something that we pride ourselves on.”
Stepping Up Support
As for Comfort Company’s main goal in solidifying its footprint in complex rehab seating, Murphy said, “We want to be a resource! We have made and are continuing to make major efforts to increase our organization’s education level so we can be this resource. We want to be involved with and assist in the seating evaluation process in every possible way.”
That includes working to make challenging days smoother for busy seating & wheeled mobility professionals.
“We want to make the entire process easier for the ATP and clinician,” Murphy noted. “It is our hope that ATPs and clinicians view us as a company who is here to support their daily activities in whatever ways that may be.”