The right ostomy products

“I had a conversation with a new ostomy patient’s daughter. Because of COVID-19 social distancing restrictions, they lost their home health service and were now ordering ostomy products online. They were going through a pouch a day, so she was looking for some assistance. After our conversation about how to find ostomy supplies that would be the most affordable for them, she sent me this email: ‘Thank you for listening and advising me on what to do with my dad’s colostomy bag. You do not realize what a BIG relief it is knowing that I can support and care for my dad better after conversing with you for that short time. Thank you for calming my nerves. I will be contacting Hollister again. Your knowledge and sharing are so valuable to new patients and new caregivers.’” – Minnie, Consumer Service Advisor since November 2018

Ostomy educational resources

“A consumer I talked to over the phone was really nervous about the products and uncomfortable with her new ostomy. Due to COVID-19, she was discharged from the hospital sooner than normal. She had a home nurse coming in, but because of pandemic restrictions, she wasn’t visiting frequently. After hearing her concerns and troubleshooting, I was able to provide some Hollister ostomy supplies and educational information that helped with the issues she was experiencing. I talked to her about a week later and she was so grateful for my assistance. She was gaining her confidence again and said she was not as scared of the ostomy as she had been before thanks to the great support from Hollister and her home health nurse.” – Mary, Consumer Service Advisor since January 2020

Supplier matching

“I spoke with a consumer who lives in the heart of New York City. He got to the point where he ran out of ostomy supplies that his home health nurse had left for him, as she could no longer come to visit due to COVID-19. He did not know where to get more of his products. He told me he was using duct tape around his stoma to protect his skin without a pouch on. I sent him some Hollister ostomy supplies and an education starter kit right away, and I matched him with a product supplier to initiate his monthly orders. He was extremely grateful. I was glad that he called that day, so I could help him get set up with his supplier for his long-term needs.” – Mackenzie, Customer Care Representative since June 2019

Troubleshooting product issues

“I spoke with a young woman who was taking care of her mother, who was living with an ostomy and suffering from dementia. She had also been battling some health problems of her own. They had a caregiver who needed to step away for a while due to social distancing during COVID-19. The daughter had her mother living with her, and noticed that she was pulling the skin barrier off shortly after putting it on. I could hear the exhaustion in the young lady’s voice from a restless night of sleep due to frequently checking in on her mom. We had a nice conversation and together we came up with a few ideas to help. I could tell that listening to her and letting her know that she was being heard was helping her feel calmer and less anxious. I have been checking on her once a week, and mom and daughter are doing much better now.” – Kim, Consumer Care Representative since October 2018

Help with the transition from the hospital

“I spoke with someone who was sent home from the hospital post-surgery with no training and no ostomy supplies. There was also no home health agency available to come help him with his recovery due to the pandemic. I was able to help explain the process of managing an ostomy, and was able to set him up with an ostomy product supplier before he ran out of sample supplies. I feel that, without my help, the situation would have turned desperate in another couple of days. I was proud that I could help set him up for success before he had any major issues.” – William, Consumer Service Advisor since January 2019