Mini-Webinar Recording: Scared to Switch? Here's How 95% of the Work Gets Done For You

Switching DME management partners can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be.

In this mini-webinar, Hall Thorp, Chief Strategy Officer at Qualis, and host Cortney Swartwood, Senior Marketing Manager, walk through how Qualis takes on the heavy lift of transitioning vendors, platforms, and processes with minimal disruption. From streamlining vendor coordination to customizing support by location, this session breaks down what actually happens when you make the switch and why so many hospices are glad they did.

Key Takeaways:

✔️ Switching Only Makes Sense When It’s Better – 1:32
Hall uses a real-life story to illustrate why transitions should only happen when they truly benefit your team and your patients.

✔️ 95% of the Work Is Off Your Plate – 2:45
Qualis handles vendor contracts, staff training, order routing, and even current equipment retention—so your team can focus on care, not logistics.

✔️ Tailored Transition Models, Built for You – 4:02
No one-size-fits-all approach - Qualis adapts to your protocols, vendor preferences, and regional needs.

✔️ Live Support Starts Day One – 5:20
From the first order placed, your team gets real-time support and full visibility into deliveries, pickups, and service tickets.

✔️ Try It Regionally First – 10:54
Not ready to roll out system-wide? You can pilot Qualis in one region or branch and expand when you're ready.

WEBINAR TRANSCRIPT

Cortney Swartwood 0:04
Hi everybody and welcome. I am Courtney Swartwood, the Senior Marketing Manager here at Qualis.
Thank you guys so much for joining today's mini webinar series: Scared to Switch? Here's How 95% of the Work Gets Done for You.

Before we get started, I have a few tips and tricks that will be helpful for you for having a great webinar.
On your screen, you'll see the most important components of today's session: the presentation, a Q&A window, and a survey.
All of these windows are resizable, so please feel free to move them around and set them up however you would like.

Drop any and all of your questions in that Q&A window—not the chat window.
We're actually going to use that Q&A section to track and answer any questions that do come in.
You can also ask any questions here if you have technical difficulties or need any extra assistance throughout the presentation.

The survey window will allow you to provide feedback on today's webinar and to request any additional information about our solutions.
In the toolbar at the bottom of your screen, you’ll see a resources icon. Click on that icon to download today’s slides.

Lastly, today’s webinar is being recorded, and we will send you a link to the on-demand recording tomorrow. That way you're able to rewatch it and share it with your team.

Alrighty—with all the housekeeping handled, I’m going to pass the torch over to Hall so he can introduce himself and get into all the details of changing up how you handle DME.

Hall Thorp 1:32
Thank you, Courtney—and welcome all. So glad you’re with us.

Switching is one of those things that some of us have had bad experiences with. It might have been an EMR, a PBM, or another DME management company.

I was on a flight after leaving a hospice conference in Las Vegas. I had my normal aisle seat, and there was a lady beside me. After everyone had boarded, a man from first class started walking back, making eye contact with me. He said, “Sir, I’d like to switch seats with you.”

I knew he had come from first class. I asked the woman next to me, “Do you know this man?” She said, “Oh yeah.” I asked, “Do you want me to switch seats with this man?” She said, “Oh yeah.”

So I said, “Sure, can I see your boarding pass?” He showed it to me. I grabbed my overhead stuff, we walked back, and told the flight attendant, “This man is letting me switch.” Everything was great.

The point is: switching only makes sense when it’s for the better.
In my case, it was much better.

Evidently, what happens in Las Vegas doesn’t stay in Las Vegas—I’m still curious what happened with that couple, because they had just met at the airport. Not sure it’ll be a Hallmark movie, but still interesting.

The point is: a lot of us don’t want to switch, and here’s why.
We’re already busy, so it’s got to be worth it.
And you’ve got to know what’s involved.
Sometimes being stuck just feels more convenient.

I love this photo because it describes why we put up with bad—or ho-hum—service.
But if DME isn’t great, keep listening.
Switching to Qualis is something we handle 95% of. And we do it well.
Let me show you how.

The concerns are that you're going to disrupt patient care.
That it’s going to drain onboarding resources.
That change brings chaos.

We hear these all the time.
But I can assure you—and I invite you to talk to clients who have switched to Qualis so you can hear it firsthand—we really do manage the transition smoothly.

We joke that we wear belts with suspenders—nothing falls through the cracks.
We handle it so you can stay focused on patient care.

Here’s how:

• We focus on vendors. Every county.
  Great primary. Great secondary.
  Vendor choice is key to our model.

• Your formulary is tailored to you.
  It can include pre-authorization.

• We train your staff.
  We prefer video training so they can revisit it, but we offer live training too.

• Patient equipment transitions:
  Most hospices prefer equipment to remain with the patient.
  We serve you on new admits and let attrition take care of the rest.
  But we can adapt to what works best for you.

We tailor our approach to you.
We don’t have a canned process, but we’ve been doing this for 15 years.
We know how to transition clients successfully.

We have a software platform that’s easy to use, and real-time live support.
The day you start, our team is ready 24/7.
Talk to our clients. They’ll tell you.

Your team can stay focused on care. We’ll handle the switch.

The concern is disruption—right?
All vendors get consolidated under Qualis.
One platform. One source of truth.
You can track every order.

We train your staff. We partner closely with vendors—on everything from how to enter a home to driveway etiquette.
Because to the patient and family, the DME tech represents you.

We become an extension of your team.
A client recently told me, “DME is like luggage to an airline. You have to do it, but it’s a pain.”
They said Qualis is like their baggage handlers—we take care of everything from the curb to the car.

If issues arise, we resolve them and work to prevent them.
That’s true during the transition—and after.

So what changes with Qualis?
What stays the same:

• Your clinical protocols

• Your vendor preferences

• Your commitment to dignity

What changes:

• We track your orders

• We consolidate billing

• We treat each order with care

• We pay vendors directly

• We stand ready for support

We help prevent issues from happening again.
This is a system that honors your values.

At this point, I know you have questions.
And I know it’s easy to hear someone say switching is easy.
But don’t let a bad past experience keep you from considering a better model.
We’re here when you’re ready.

Courtney, I’ll hand it back to you.

Cortney Swartwood 7:37
Yes—awesome.

First of all, thank you for that really great rundown.
I don’t think people realize that switching doesn’t have to be a massive leap of faith. You’re not alone—we’re here to support you.

Alright, first question: how long does it typically take to implement Qualis?

Hall Thorp 8:03
Great question.
Typically, we prefer 60 to 90 days from when the services agreement is signed.

If you have an existing contract, we’ll align with those terms.
We don’t want to rush.

We’ll start with a kickoff meeting with whoever is leading implementation on your side.
Then we lay out everything that needs to happen—95% of which we handle at Qualis.
We just want you to know exactly what’s happening.

Cortney Swartwood 8:42
That’s probably faster than people expect—nice to be the bearer of good news!

Next: does Qualis replace our vendors or work with them?

Hall Thorp 8:59
Another great question.

You contract with Qualis.
We then contract with the vendors on your behalf.

Sometimes we amend an existing agreement, sometimes we use a master agreement or draft a unique one.
But your expectations and protocols are written into our vendor agreements.

So we are the contracting entity—not just managing vendors you contract with.

Cortney Swartwood 9:31
So you can keep the vendors you want and add new ones if needed—great.

What happens to patient equipment during a transition?

Hall Thorp 9:49
Love this one.

Let’s say you have a 95-year-old patient named Thorp who’s been using the same bed for years.
If your team says, “That’s his bed—let him keep it,” we make that happen.

We do a one-time contract with that vendor.
Patient care comes first.

If you’re with a management company or direct-to-vendor, it depends on their agreement.
But we work case-by-case and try to maintain continuity wherever possible.

Cortney Swartwood 10:41
Next: can hospices try Qualis in one region or branch first?

Hall Thorp 10:54
Yes.

Especially for larger orgs, we love the opportunity to prove our worth.
Let us serve one region or your most challenging location first.
Then we can talk about expansion if it makes sense.

Cortney Swartwood 11:20
Awesome—thanks so much Hall.

And for everyone watching, I hope you learned a little more about how Qualis can make switching easier without disrupting care.

We’d appreciate your feedback—please complete the survey questions before you leave.

If you have more questions, email us at marketing@qualis.com.
And don’t miss our next mini session: What to Do Before Your DME Contract Ends. See you next week!

Hall Thorp 12:20
Thank you guys.

Cortney Swartwood 12:22
Thanks everyone—bye!