Mini-Webinar Recording: DME Delays Are Clinical Delays - Let's Talk About That

In this mini-webinar, Sean Bannon, Account Executive at Qualis, joins host Cortney Swartwood, Senior Marketing Manager, to discuss how delayed equipment deliveries directly impact patient care, nurse satisfaction, and operational outcomes. From missed admissions to added caregiver stress, DME issues ripple far beyond logistics. This session explores why treating DME as a clinical priority, not just a supply chain function, is the key to faster, safer, and more confident care delivery.

Key Takeaways:
✔️ DME Delays = Clinical Exposure – 1:32
Learn how common equipment delays directly translate into risks for patient safety and care quality.

✔️ Why Small Problems Signal Bigger Issues – 3:12
Even one or two delays per month point to deeper operational inefficiencies.

✔️ A Clinical-First Model for DME – 4:55
Discover how centralized systems, EMR integration, and vendor accountability change the game.

✔️ No, You Don’t Have to Change Vendors – 8:31
Find out how Qualis improves DME processes while supporting the vendors you already trust.

✔️ Fast, Low-Disruption Implementation – 9:28
Typical go-live happens within 45 to 60 days—with Qualis handling the heavy lifting.

WEBINAR TRANSCRIPT

Cortney Swartwood (0:05):
Hey everyone, and welcome to the fourth session in our mini webinar series. I’m Cortney Swartwood, Senior Marketing Manager here at Qualis. Thank you for joining today’s webinar, “DME Delays Are Clinical Delays – Let’s Talk About It.”

Before we get started, here are a few tips to improve your webinar experience. On your screen, you’ll see the presentation, a Q&A window, and a survey. These windows are resizable and moveable, so feel free to adjust them however you'd like.

Please submit questions in the Q&A window, not the chat. We’ll track and answer those throughout. You can also ask for technical help there. The survey window lets you share feedback and request additional information.

In the toolbar at the bottom of your screen, there’s a resources icon—click that to download today’s slides. Finally, today’s webinar is being recorded. Tomorrow, you’ll get a link to the recording to re-watch or share with your team.

Now, I’ll hand it over to Sean to introduce himself and kick things off.

Sean Bannon (1:30):
Hi everyone, I’m Sean Bannon, Account Executive at Qualis. Thanks for joining us. The title of this webinar is pretty straightforward—“DME Delays Are Clinical Delays.”

When a patient doesn’t get the oxygen concentrator they need or a bed doesn’t arrive until hours after a nurse’s admission, that’s not just frustrating—it’s clinical exposure. Today, we’re reframing how you think about durable medical equipment—not as a supply chain burden but as a critical part of your clinical delivery model.

Here’s what we hear all the time: Nurses are resourceful. They’ll always find a way to care for patients, but that resiliency has a cost. Leadership may not always see the downstream impact of DME delays because nurses often just fix the issue without escalating it.

A Director of Nursing recently told me, “We didn’t know how bad it was until we did a ride-along with field nurses.” Another clinical manager said, “I realized we weren’t measuring all the time we spend making DME work. We were only measuring when it totally failed.” That’s a powerful realization.

Let’s talk about how these delays show up in real hospice scenarios. Take oxygen, for example. If a concentrator isn’t there, every minute of delay is a minute of uncontrolled symptoms. It’s not just about comfort—it’s about dignity.

Or think about when a hospital bed is delayed. Now, a caregiver is trying to keep their loved one safe in a recliner or standard bed. That increases fall risk, pressure ulcers, and stress for everyone. The same goes for suction machines, Hoyer lifts, and wound vacs—these aren’t just tools. They’re lifelines.

When they’re delayed—even by a few hours—it shifts how care is delivered. The burden falls back on the nurse and the family. This ripple effect can impact CAHPS scores, nurse retention, and clinical outcomes.

Why do delays happen? It comes down to fragmentation. Most DME systems are reactive, not proactive. You’ve got different staff ordering equipment in different ways, multiple vendors who don’t communicate, no visibility into delivery statuses, and no accountability when something slips. Nurses often end up spending 30 minutes or more just trying to confirm an ETA—or worse, arriving at a home and realizing the equipment isn’t there.

If it happens once a month, maybe you tolerate it. But if it happens once a week, it becomes a systemic problem.

The solution is shifting to a clinical-first DME model. Imagine nurses ordering DME from a centralized system tied to your EMR. There’s a single point of contact—no more chasing vendors. Orders are tracked, timestamped, and accountable. Vendors aren’t just delivering; they’re proactively communicating.

When DME is done right, it frees your team to focus on care because the infrastructure supports them. Even if it feels like an isolated issue, I challenge you to ask:

• How often are nurses following up on equipment status?

• Are patient admissions delayed because of delivery timing?

• Are caregivers having to improvise when something isn’t delivered?

• Are nurses reporting extra stress due to DME issues?

These are early warning signs that show up before metrics catch up. The bottom line: Hospice is already complex. Your nurses shouldn’t also be part-time logistics coordinators.

When DME delays are removed, clinical care improves, morale improves, and families trust the process more. At Qualis, we believe equipment is part of the care plan—not an afterthought. When your DME process supports clinicians, you deliver care faster, safer, and with more confidence.

Cortney Swartwood (6:21):
Thanks, Sean. That was a great overview. Let’s jump into some questions. The first one is: “We already have a weekend staffing challenge. How realistic is it to expect vendors to deliver equipment on weekends or after hours?”

Sean Bannon (6:45):
That’s a fair question. At Qualis, we designed our system for transparency and accountability. Orders go into our platform, but we also recommend that clinicians call the vendor to confirm and expedite. Our after-hours process is currently handled on a complaint basis, meaning if there’s an issue, it’s escalated and addressed promptly. We’re also actively exploring ways to improve that. Our focus is on partnering with vendors who meet strict service standards and tracking performance closely.

Cortney Swartwood (7:22):
Thank you for that. Next question: “If we only experience delays once or twice a month, is that enough to justify overhauling how we do DME?”

Sean Bannon (7:35):
Great question. It’s easy to overlook manageable issues, but even a couple of delays per month signal a system problem, not just isolated incidents. Those few events could represent 10 hours of staff time or missed clinical goals. Small inefficiencies add up over time. A proactive model doesn’t just fix delays—it prevents them.

Cortney Swartwood (8:04):
That’s a really helpful perspective. Next question: “Can we implement these improvements without changing our current DME vendors?”

Sean Bannon (8:31):
Absolutely. We hear this all the time. Qualis uses an “any willing vendor” approach. We bring centralized ordering, single invoicing, and order tracking to support the vendors you already use—and provide options if you want to expand your vendor network.

Cortney Swartwood (8:56):
That’s one of my favorite things about how Qualis operates. A follow-up question: “How long does it take to implement this kind of system?”

Sean Bannon (9:28):
Most transitions take 45 to 60 days from kickoff to go-live. That includes onboarding, setup, training, and vendor coordination. We handle the heavy lifting so your clinical team can focus on patients. I won’t spoil the details about implementation because Hall recently hosted a mini session that dives deep into that topic.

Cortney Swartwood (9:55):
Yes! I’ll drop the link to that session and others in the chat. Thank you, Sean, and thank you to everyone who submitted questions. If we didn’t get to yours, we’ll follow up directly.

If your team is seeing even low-frequency DME delays, it’s worth a conversation. You can email Sean—his contact is on the screen. We also appreciate your feedback, so please complete the survey.

Thank you all for joining. We’ll see you in the next webinar, “Vetting Vendors: How We Pick the Right Partners.”

Sean Bannon (10:54):
Thank you.

Cortney Swartwood (10:56):
Bye!