Ostomy . It ’ s a complex and nuanced healthcare market , where 90 % of a patient ’ s care takes place in the post-acute setting . These patients have had colostomy , ileostomy or urostomy surgery , and there is no one-size fits all when it comes to products for them . Throughout their

care journey , patients face the challenge of selecting and getting just the right product for their specific need .

“ Wherever surgery takes place is where the decisions begin about what products to use and for how long ,” says Jacob Bychowski , Medline Program Manager for Home

Health and Hospice . “ Yet there are so many different types of ostomy products and so many different types of patients , it ’ s nearly impossible for care teams to plan for their transition to the post-acute setting .”

A white paper published by the Wound , Ostomy and Continence

Nurses Society ( WOCN ), helps spell this out , explaining why patients must go through such a lengthy process of trial and error to find a pouching system that meets their unique clinical needs . Key factors coming into play , the white paper notes , include :