Becker's ASC Review

Executive Briefing: 52 EXECUTIVE BRIEFING 3 EXECUTIVE BRIEFING adhere to for reimbursement," Mr. Seeber said. "Specific codes and modifiers must be used that are related to time and place of service. These are little things which if not done correctly would mean either a recoupment or denial of a claim. That costs practices valuable time and revenue." Coding has also changed significantly over the years. When Breg works with new clients, it performs an initial coding assessment. "Sometimes we find that practices are still using code sets that are several years old and don't reflect the most recent changes to regulations or LCD and policy articles," Mr. Seeber said. "We do a complete evaluation of new customers' workflows, coding, documentation and credentialing to help them ensure that all those components meet the mark, so they can provide efficient and compliant patient care." Best practices include program champions, phased rollouts and ongoing evaluation As practices consider creating and managing an in-house DME program, one of the most important factors is identifying a project champion who will take ownership of the initiative and be accountable for its success. Mr. Braddock served as this individual at University Orthopedics. "The starting point is finding someone who can be the captain or the driver of the bus," Mr. Braddock said. "It's helpful to find a person who is dedicated to orthopedics and someone who perhaps has experience with clinical workflows as a medical assistant or an orthopedic technician. It took me about three months to do my own research and I really became an expert." Initially, University Orthopedics went live in one location with around 10 products. The following month, two additional locations went live. As the team became more comfortable, it started looking at adding products." To further improve the performance of its DME program, University Orthopedics began running reports from its EMR to identify when providers were scripting devices out to other vendors. "We made an effort to move that business in-house, so patients don't need to go anywhere else," Mr. Braddock said. "As we did this, we felt confident that we were abiding by the regulations and using billing processes that were compliant." Breg's Impact Consulting team offers customers biannual business reviews to evaluate the people, process, performance and profitability of their DME programs. "We explore whether employees are trained appropriately, as well as how the clinical and billing staff communicate with one another," Mr. Seeber said. "We also assess whether policy updates are being handled correctly across the clinic, practice or health system." A one-stop shop for DME promotes continuity of patient care and contributes to top-line revenue Both University Orthopedics and Proliance Orthopedics and Sports Medicine have used their in-house DME programs to create a one-stop shop for patients. Patients can get their medical equipment on the same day as their appointments. The products are clearly explained and patients know they can come back and get devices replaced under warranty if problems arise. "Our goal is to enhance patient care," Mr. Seeber said. "Physicians understand what is and isn't appropriate for their patients. When providers can provide the brace at the time of the visit, when patients need it, that's very valuable. There's continuity of care." In-house DME programs also serve as a cost center, which can drive significant profitability for practices and health systems. For example, Breg recently worked with an academic medical center to support its bracing program. The initiative has been thriving and now, five years later, it is generating over $2 million in revenue. This is helping to support the organization's expansion into new markets. "We've had our DME program for about six years, Mr. Braddock said. "It not only helps from a revenue cycle perspective; we're employing more people and providing great patient care." Proliance Orthopedics and Sports Medicine's three facilities have also greatly benefited from its DME program. "From a revenue perspective, we've continued to see growth year after year," Ms. Devine said. "We have a system and a customer service team that helps keep us compliant with regular check-ins, documentations, mock audit assistance, billing help, training, the works. We have trained staff that give patients better care, product information and product options. Breg has paved the way and has been a right hand to our program's success."n 1 Breg Vision is a registered trademark of Breg. Breg makes orthopedic bracing and devices, but more than that, the company makes DMEPOS programs easier for customers and their patients every step of the way, from hurt to healthy. Breg is committed to supporting practitioners through comprehensive partnerships, supporting patients with high-quality products and services, and delivering seamless support to facilities navigating the complexities of modern healthcare. As the largest U.S. provider of cold therapy devices and second largest domestic provider of orthopedic bracing, Breg is partner to 2,500 clinics, more than 6,000 orthopedic surgeons and 1,500 Integrated Delivery Networks, providing orthopedic products to millions of patients and clinicians annually. Founded in 1989, Breg is based in Carlsbad, Calif., and is a company of Water Street Healthcare Partners, a strategic investor focused on the health care industry. Visit www.breg.com.

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