Page 30 - HME Business, August/September 2018

O2 on the Go
companies that specialize in renting and ship- ping POCs all over the nation. The service takes DME referrals and helps patients rent equipment that matches their needs and travel plans.
“The benefit of using Freedom Link for short or long term boils down to ‘timesaver,’” says Brad Werkmeister, associate vice presi- dent at VGM Freedom Link. “The amount of time and calls we make to help our members’ patients find the equipment they need is significant. Our team will call and try to get the best pricing for short-term service. If long- term service is needed, meaning ‘moving patient,’ we help find who is in-network with insurance and call until no one’s left to call because of the capped patient problem.
“We staff four full-time employees to help coordinate travelers’ oxygen from the time they leave their home until they arrive at their destination,” Werkmeister continues. “Our team will help coordinate O2 service with a provider in or near the patient’s destination as a backup in case of damage or failure.”
Even with the best planning, something can go wrong. That’s why patients should have a phone number to contact a manufac- turer rep wherever they plan to visit.
“From time to time Philips has gotten calls from Europe, Japan or other parts of the world where [patients] have had a problem and we were able to refer them to one of
our vendors,” says Frank Lazzaro, director of global product management for Philips Sleep & Respiratory Care.
Precision has also mobilized field reps
to respond to problems. “In the past week
we have directly assisted a patient with
a replacement while they are traveling,” Geancoupoulos says. “Overseas, we have international distributors who can help out as well. We have an 800 number for customer service, so if a customer has a problem we will try our best.”
Technology Tools
Recent advancements in remote monitoring are a game-changer for oxygen patients who travel, providers said.
“If a technical issue does arise with the equipment while the patient is traveling, the provider can provide remote diagnosis and troubleshooting with a connected POC,” he explains. “With non-connected POCs, remote diagnosis and troubleshooting can be challenging as the provider must rely on
the patient to accurately describe what is happening with the equipment. This is taking place when patient anxiety is at its highest due to the fear of running out of oxygen. Remote monitoring helps to provide peace of mind for patients and providers alike.“
Jim Clement of GCE Group agrees: “With our device, we are a global platform. Our device reports back. Not all of the devices are global. The benefits for a patient, imagine them stuck in the airport in Rome and the device is giving an alert? We can talk them through what might be a very simple problem,” he says. “GCE is kind of unique – we have manufacturing and repair facilities in Europe so we are able to help in certain instances, depending on the country or location.”
Travel season offers DME providers an opportunity for customer outreach. An email of helpful travel tips for POC patients lets you offer stellar service at home, and promote any support you offer when patients are away. It’s an opportunity to highlight your service and provide links to travel tip pages of manufac- turers you sell. n
Holly Wagner is a freelance writer covering a variety of industries, including healthcare.
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What’s Inside:
Smart Retail Purchasing . . . . . . . . . . News, Trends & Analysis . . . . . . . . . Accrediting New Categories . . . . . . . EnteringRespiratory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BathSafetyProducts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ToolstoEmpowerYourTeam . . . . . . .
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What’s Inside:
HME Leadership by the Book . . . . . 13 News, Trends & Analysis . . . . . . . . . . 8 MakinganO2‘ModelMatch’ . . . . . . . 12 Orthopedic Opportunities . . . . . . . . . 24 Retail-ReadyProducts . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 9 Ways to Thrive in Tough Markets . . . 30
With Diverse Revenues and Patients, HMEs Need RCM
For large healthcare
r h g e a a n l t i hz a n t i e o t nw s o s r uk cs , h t ah s e h p o r as pc t i t i ca el s o a f n d revenue cycle management has been
a fundamental element of how they do business for years . Now, HME busi- nesses are starting to employ RCM to help them survive and thrive in a tight funding market .
Fortunately, those larger health entities have blazed some RCM trails . They have developed businesses processes and workflows, metrics that help them manage their RCM, and employed a variety of technology tools that have helped them improve efficiencies to boost revenues and margins . These are best practices that can help smooth the RCM learning curve in HME .
That said, running an HME business isn’t like running a hospital . There is a multitude of factors and challenges that are unique to the HME landscape provider owners and management must address . Moreover, how providers approach those challenges is unique, as well .
How can RCM help HME busi- nesses? How should they approach implementing RCM? What are the pitfalls they should avoid? What tools and services are available to help them? Read this month’s cover story to learn more .
Revenue Cycle
Management for HME . Page 17
May 2018 Volume 25, Number 5 hme-business.com
What’s Inside:
ManagingWinningTeams . . . . . . . . 24 News, Trends & Analysis . . . . . . . . . . 6 What’sYourHIPAARisk? . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 HMEInventory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 DreamWear’s Full-face Option . . . . . . 28 RetailHME’sFive-YearPlan . . . . . . . . . 30
A Collection of How-to Articles to Help HMEs Achieve Lift-off Welcome to the 11th edition o y e f a o r u w r e a n t n r y u t a o l H p Mr e E s e H n a t n a d n b u o m o b k e . E r a o c f h easy-to-digest articles that provide HME business owners and managers with ideas on how they can drive new revenues and drive new efficiencies . Consider these handbook a launch- pad to hit new heights .
We have published the HME Handbook since 2008, and the product has changed over the years . When we first started, the Handbook aimed to help providers prepare for significant industry changes that were on the way, such as competitive bidding, claims audits and other cuts . However, where regulatory change once represented market disruption, now providers are old hands at being pushed out of their comfort zone . Now the Handbook aims to help providers consider a shifting market- place to be familiar territory .
In this issue, we look at seven topics including accreditation, women’s health, portable oxygen, home access, professional education, and enteral nutrition . Some of the articles discuss operational efficiencies, while others identify new business opportunities or methods for sharpening your business strategy . Also, to help you digest the information, we summarize key points and provide links to help you learn more about the topics .
2018 HME Handbook . . Page 10 June 2018
Volume 25, Number 6 hme-business.com
CHANGING GEARS Revving up standard power mobility’s revenues.
Providers Can Build Successful Standard Power Business Models
initial rounds o g f r a C m M a S n ’ s d c t o h m e p r e e mt i t o i v v e a l b o i d f d t h i n e g fi r p s r t o - - month purchase option, providers of standard power mobility haven’t
simply suffered some setbacks, they’ve seen their entire business models hit a dead end . Like a cross country road tripper without a Road Atlas they’ve had to piece together entirely new pathways toward a profitable, sustainable business .
But many providers have been able to successfully set a new strategic course . Shaping today’s standard power mobility business model might not necessarily easy, but it can be done . The key lies in finding out where the core revenues are, how to expand on that foundation, and then find the products and strategies that can help supe up revenues and profit margins . The resulting strategy mixes retail and funded revenue, emphasizes forging the right vendor relationships, and requires pursuing new product avenues that appeal to mobility users . We talk to some key experts in this month’s cover story to see where the real standard power revenues are at, how to strike the right blend between funded and retail revenue, and how to caretail in ways that will cement long-standing relationships with your customers .
Standard Power
Shifts Strategic Gears . Page 16
April 2018 Volume 25, Number 4 hme-business.com
REVENUE
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7 7 I I D D E E A A S S T T O O H H E E L L P P Y YO O U U R R BUSINESS TAKE FLIGHT
Ever since the
CYCLE MANAGEMENT
W W h h a at t ’ ’ s s t t h h e e r r i i g g h h t t s s t t r r a at t e e g g y y ? ? W W h h a at t t t o o o o l l s s c c a a n n h h e e l l p p? ?
July 2018 Volume 25, Number 7
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Management Solutions | Technology | Products
Special FocuS on portable oxygen
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