Page 10 - HME Business, September/October 2021

Annual Roundtable
ahead and froze the prices and opened the market up to any willing provider,” Ackerman explains. “So the market volume that used to ‘pad’ the lower prices was now gone. ... it’s really becoming a crush.”
Can anything be done? CMS can increase reimbursement from their already too-low levels, Ackerman says, but that’s only a part of the fix.
“The government has to work very hard on getting that container cost down,” he explains. “There’s a log jam that needs to be administratively dealt with so that the free market can come back and take over.”
In the meantime, Ackerman advises providers to continue seeking efficiencies, innovating, finding niches and doing the sorts of things they’ve done to survive previous challenges.
“Demographics remain heavily in our favor for the next 20 years, and there’s a population that’s going to be needing our expertise,” he says. “Know that the leaders in the industry are aware of all this and working hard to deal with it.”
5. THE VALUE-BASED HME
The COVID-19 public health emergency hasn’t just impacted the day-to-day lives of the chronic care patient populations that HME providers serve but also their healthcare.
“Certainly one of the things that has caused a disrup-
tion during the pandemic is their physical activity, or lack thereof, their sleep, their stress, and mental health, and of course, a big one is access — access to their medications, and access to normal health care visits,” Canally says.
Canally cites some statistics that bear this out: In June 2020, about 55 percent of adults living with multiple chronic condi- tions reported delays or avoidance of medical care. Also,
69 percent of patients with chronic conditions reported that COVID-19 affected their ability to manage their conditions. That’s not a small portion of the population. Six in 10 adults in the United States have at least one chronic disease, and the CDC says four in 10 have two or more.
How do providers handle this? By changing up their model for something that emphasizes service and care even more than they have in the past.
“I believe there needs to be an expansive model for their patients,” Canally says. “Let’s use diabetes as an example. ... If you look at diabetes more as a hub-type model than just diabetic supplies, the first thing that comes to my mind is if you want to increase your number of referrals, going to the physician saying, we now can do these services for your diabetic patients.”
That means expanding their range of products and
10 HMEBusiness | September/October 2021 | hme-business.com
conducting more follow-up.
“Assessing patients’ needs goes hand-in-hand with including
more virtual care, at-home prescription delivery, remote moni- toring,” Canally explains. “There’s a lot of devices now in the HME industry that are directly related to remote monitoring. It’s all about expanding your model to add digital diagnostics with support, and certainly applications for education, behavior modi- fication, and that social support. I believe that truly is going to be the future. And, as I always say, the future is here.”
6. THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE
Pivoting off of Canally’s point, new editorial advisory board member Nettleship (who replaces HMEB’s good friend Rob Boeye) emphasizes the fact that patient expectations are radically changing, as are their preferred methods for interacting with their healthcare providers — including HME businesses.
“Patient expectations have
recently undergone a dramatic
evolution, driven in part by
the COVID-19 pandemic,” she
says. “Patients today view their healthcare from a much more consumer-like mindset, expecting the same transparency and convenience they’ve become accustomed to in other areas of their lives.”
If providers want to remain patient-centric businesses, they must incorporate digital innovations and orchestrate what Nettleship calls the “digital patient experience.” And the word “orchestrate” is well chosen because how the provider manages that is as nuanced as the flicks of an orchestra conductor’s baton.
“Consumers today are conditioned to expect Amazon-like convenience and customer service,” she notes. “By introducing an integrated digital experience, providers can satisfy their patients’ expectations and help them better understand and manage their care in a way that makes sense to them, all while feeling supported by their provider.”
For starters, Nettleship advises that providers consider creating a “low-friction strategy” that opts for communications geared to prevent overwhelming patients. Once this process begins, providers can gradually introduce features to help patients manage their overall care, as well provide feedback.
“The most significant piece of this puzzle is making patients’ experiences as transparent, consistent and effortless as possible,” she says. “The best way to achieve this is to ensure patients can access the expanding digital ecosystem including care plans, prescriptions and billing information, among other important information related to their care. Enabling communi- cation between patient and provider in which the patient feels cared for, while reducing the burden associated with that interac- tion drives to a better experience for both patients and staff.”
Management Solutions | Technology | Products
Sandra Canally, Founder and CEO, The Compliance Team Inc.
Trish Nettleship,
Vice President of Marketing, Brightree