Becker's ASC Review

51 EXECUTIVE BRIEFING 2 EXECUTIVE BRIEFING How to build an effective in-house DME program — Insights from two ortho practices O perating an in-house durable medical equipment (DME) program can increase both patient satisfaction and profitability. Sustainable, successful programs are built on a solid foundation that includes compliance, streamlined workflows, documentation and reliable checks and balances. Becker's Healthcare recently spoke with three experts about best practices for developing DME programs that elevate patient care and simplify administrative processes: • Chris Braddock, clinical operations manager at University Orthopedics, headquartered in Providence, R.I. • Klarisa Devine, DME manager at Proliance Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, headquartered in Bellevue, Wash. • Eric Seeber, Impact consulting manager, Breg In-house DME programs have a positive impact on both the patient and employee experience There is significant variation in patients' DME needs and concerns. By addressing all of these issues, practices can offer patients peace of mind. "About half of our patients are worried about the clinical aspect of their DME needs, while the other half are concerned about the financial aspect," Mr. Braddock said. "We've set up our program to offer expertise around product fitting, as well as compliance and insurance. Our team members can give patients information on the clinical side and explain how their DME requirements will impact their insurance." Both University Orthopedics and Proliance Orthopedics and Sports Medicine have partnered with Breg to support their DME programs. Breg's Vision® workflow management software streamlines key processes that contribute to a better patient experience. "Our patient care has improved by having a system that enables us to give patients real-time information," Ms. Devine said. "We can quickly enter an order and apply that to the Breg Vision system. The information is available in Vision and we can review it with the patient. Patients have a better sense of product costs and what to expect up front. Our staff also has more time to fit products and discuss them with patients, rather than spending time filling out forms or researching insurance information." From an employee perspective, decreasing the burden associated with administrative processes is extremely important in this era of healthcare talent shortages and high staff turnover. "The Vision system interfaces with the EMR platform to pull schedules and push documentation and billing," Mr. Seeber said. Automation allows staff to focus on what they enjoy doing most — working on clinical matters and answering patient questions. By reducing the amount of time required for paperwork, team members at University Orthopedics have more time to learn about products and advance in their careers. "When we first started our DME program, we had about 25 products and now we are up to 80 throughout the organization," Mr. Braddock said. "DME employees are excited to learn about new products. We have medical assistants who want to advance professionally and learn about another department, as well as orthopedic technicians who have done a lot of casting but want to get into durable medical equipment fitting. We started an initiative where DME team members select a product and then present to the organization how it's used and how to fit a patient. It keeps people interested and gives them a sense of purpose." Successful DME programs go beyond product acquisition When organizations are seeking vendor support for an in- house DME program, it's important to assess more than just the product selection. "I think you need to ask what your support system will look like. You must assess things like the technology systems and the customer service," Ms. Devine said. Mr. Braddock agreed. "In a busy orthopedic setting, time is priceless. I wanted a vendor who could help us set up our practice to be as compliant as possible and to create streamlined workflows. Most of the vendors who came in were actually product reps trying to sell fancy devices. We're running an orthopedic practice with over 100 providers and 12 locations in two states, so products aren't the only things we're looking for. We wanted the compliance piece and a program with a strong foundation." Breg provides the support that practices need to successfully launch their DME programs and expand over time. After University Orthopedics merged with another organization last July, it was easy to onboard the new offices into its DME program. According to Mr. Braddock, "Now that we have established the foundation for the program, we find it much simpler to transition when we have mergers or acquisitions. I think most healthcare organizations are moving in the direction of consolidation, so having strong processes in place can make those transitions fairly seamless." Breg provides clients with comprehensive support related to documentation, coding and more. Competitive bidding, for example, can be a complex area for practices. "Physicians are exempt, but there are still requirements that physicians must

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