Page 9 - DME Pharmacy, April 2021

EDUCATION
When it comes to having the right exper- tise, training, education, or certification on the team so that a DME pharmacy best serves women’s healthcare needs, Jensen says a big focus is on post-mas- tectomy patients and fitting prostheses.
That starts with completing courses offered by breast prosthesis manufactur- ers for mastectomy fitting.
“These courses are instrumental in understanding the basics of off-the-shelf breast prosthesis and mastectomy bra fitting,” Jensen says. “American Breast Care (americanbreastcare.com/abc- university/onlinetraining) offers a great option for an online training option.”
Pharmacies that are accredited for Medicare DMEPOS need to factor that training into their accreditation, as well.
“With mastectomy fitting, if a DME pharmacy is already accredited through
a Medicare-approved organization, let your accrediting organization know you are billing the mastectomy ‘L’ codes,” she advises. “Depending on the organization you’re accredited though, you may or
may not be required to have a certified mastectomy fitter on staff. Check with your accreditation provider to confirm.”
On the maternity side of the busi- ness, breast pumps don’t require specific certification to bill payers for them, but Jensen recommends pharmacies do their research and have a solid understand- ing of what their local payers require for breast pump reimbursement.
DIVING IN
So, how can a community/DME pharma- cy get started in better supporting local women’s healthcare needs? Jensen has some pro-tips for DME pharmacies look- ing to establish their market presence.
Starting with mastectomy patients, pharmacies should reach out to local oncology offices.
“Ask to speak to a nurse navigator,” Jensen says. “Most health systems have nurse navigators who are assigned to help patients by attending physician appointments and helping patients un- derstand their options.
“Let them know you’re interested in
assisting local patients and ask if there are any current unmet needs you could help provide,” she continues. “Let them know you’re wanting to become that trusted resource their patients need so the recovery process can be as comfort- able as possible.”
For mother and baby, Jensen says pharmacies should communicate to their local OB/GYN offices that they have solu- tions for some of the challenges preg- nant moms experience.
“Let them know you can provide compression stockings to help alleviate swollen, achy legs and ankles,” she ad- vises. “You can provide pregnancy bands and support pillows. That same Contour Flip pillow I mentioned for post-surgical mastectomy patients is also great for women who’ve had C-section).
“Most importantly, you can provide breast pumps and accessories,” she adds.
DME community pharmacies looking for more information can contact Essen- tially Women at essentiallywomen@vgm. com or (800) 988-4484. n
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