Mini-Webinar Recording: Vetting Vendors - How We Pick the Right Partners

In this mini-webinar, Ludis Cardenas, Director of Network Development at Qualis, joins host Cortney Swartwood, Senior Marketing Manager, to demystify how Qualis builds and maintains a strong DME vendor network. The vendors who deliver your equipment are more than logistics providers—they’re extensions of your care team. This session outlines how Qualis identifies the right partners, red flags to watch for, and how accountability is maintained across the network to support excellent care.

Key Takeaways:

✔️ DME Vendors Are Clinical Partners – 1:32
Why vendor vetting isn’t just about delivery—it’s about reducing clinical risk and improving care outcomes.

✔️ The 5 Things We Always Evaluate – 2:04
From response times to shared values, here’s how Qualis ensures vendors are truly care-ready.

✔️ Red Flags That Mean It’s Time to Rethink a Vendor – 3:37
Delays, inconsistencies, and outdated systems aren’t just annoying—they’re signs of a bigger issue.

✔️ Ongoing Accountability = Better Care – 5:24
How Qualis keeps vendors in check with scorecards, performance reviews, and real-time escalation.

✔️ You Don’t Have to Pick Just One – 6:17
With multiple vetted vendors and centralized oversight, Qualis offers flexibility without complexity.

WEBINAR TRANSCRIPT

Cortney Swartwood [0:04]
Hi everyone and welcome! I'm Cortney Swartwood, the Senior Marketing Manager here at Qualis. Thank you so much for joining today's Mini Webinar series, Vetting Vendors: How We Pick the Right Partners. Before we get started, I have a few tips that will help you have 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 the windows are resizable and adjustable—set them up however you like.

Please drop any and all questions in the Q&A window, not the chat. We’ll use that section to track and answer everything. You can also ask for technical help there if needed.

The survey window will let you provide feedback and request info on our solutions. At the bottom of your screen, you’ll see a resources icon—click it to download today’s slides if you'd like.

Lastly, today's webinar is being recorded. Tomorrow we’ll share a link to the on-demand version so you can rewatch or share with your team. With that, huge thanks to Ludis for taking time today to break this down. I’ll pass it over to her to introduce herself and we’ll get started.

Ludis Cardenas [1:31]
Thanks, Cortney! Hi everyone, I’m Ludis Cardenas, Director of Network Development at Qualis. Today I’d like to speak about an essential component of our operations: the process by which we select our DME vendors.

It might sound like something that happens behind the scenes, but if a delivery goes wrong during a hospice admission, it immediately becomes a frontline issue. Our goal at Qualis isn’t just to contract vendors. It’s to build a reliable, accountable network that supports exceptional care. So let’s talk about how we do that.

Let’s start with the why. Why does vendor vetting really matter in hospice? Because DME is clinical—we say it often and we genuinely mean it. The equipment you order—whether it’s oxygen, a hospital bed, or a lift—directly affects your patient’s comfort, the family’s confidence in your care, and your nurse’s ability to carry out the care plan.

A vendor that misses deliveries or sends the wrong equipment doesn’t just create frustration—it increases risk. Vetting vendors is how we protect your clinical environment.

We evaluate every vendor in our network using a consistent framework. Here are the five areas we focus on:
Coverage and capacity—can they actually serve the geography, not just in theory but in practice?
Responsiveness—how quickly do they answer calls, especially after hours?
Clinical expertise—do their techs understand hospice environments, including compassion, discretion, and awareness?
Data transparency—do they track delivery times, identify issues, and provide resolution steps?
Shared values—are they aligned with hospice principles, and are they coachable?

We’re looking for more than logistics. We’re looking for a clinical partner who understands the importance of prompt care, tone, and technical accuracy.

Knowing what to look for in a strong vendor is important—but recognizing red flags is critical. Some warning signs we pay close attention to:
Slow or unclear communication during urgent requests
Outdated technology or reliance on paper-based ordering
Repeated fulfillment inaccuracies
Limited or no after-hours support
Inconsistent service across ZIP codes

Every delay, error, or communication breakdown can affect a patient’s experience. We hold vendors to a high standard. One hospice told us, “We didn’t realize how bad the experience was until we saw the alternative.” That’s why we track early warning signs—because the best time to fix a problem is before it ever becomes one.

Getting into our network is just the beginning. We stay closely involved with our vendors through regular performance reviews, delivery and issue audits, and real-time feedback from the field. It’s about ensuring they meet the standards your patients count on.

When a vendor does well, they grow with us. We’re here to protect what matters most: your quality of care.

One thing that sets Qualis apart is our network model. Instead of being locked into a single provider, you have access to multiple vendors—without oversaturating your market or creating confusion.

We can scale with you, adding vendors as your census grows or your service area shifts. No matter how many vendors are involved, you still get centralized support, reporting, and accountability. That means real flexibility without added complexity. You focus on care—we focus on logistics.

Our promise is simple: we’ll never ask you to settle for good enough. Your patients, their families, and your care team deserve better. Our vetting process is thorough, ongoing, and rooted in clinical impact. We’re proud of the vendors we work with and we’re always refining the network to meet evolving hospice needs.

Cortney Swartwood [6:31]
Awesome. Thanks so much, Ludis. And I just want to emphasize—if you’ve ever wondered whether your current DME vendor is the best fit, or even if you just want more options, you’re not alone. We’re here to help you evaluate, compare, and improve the experience your team has with every DME delivery.

Let’s get into some questions. First up: What’s the first thing you evaluate when deciding whether to keep or replace a DME vendor?

Ludis Cardenas [7:03]
Great question. The first thing I look at is delivery consistency—specifically, whether vendors are meeting their service-level agreements, including after-hours. That reliability is essential. If a vendor consistently misses delivery windows, we dig into root causes to see if the issue can be resolved.

Cortney Swartwood [7:27]
Got it. It’s definitely reassuring to know there’s a process in place to understand the root issue and explore solutions before replacing a vendor outright.

Next question—and we hear this a lot: If we already have a vendor we trust, can we keep working with them and still partner with Qualis?

Ludis Cardenas [8:00]
Absolutely. We encourage hospices to continue working with vendors they know and trust—those relationships matter, and continuity is key for patients and families.

As part of onboarding, we assess existing vendors to ensure they meet our standards. When they do, we’re glad to bring them into the network. Our goal is to support those vendors with tools, metrics, and coordination—not replace them unnecessarily.

Cortney Swartwood [8:30]
Totally agree. We understand those long-standing relationships are built on trust, and we want to preserve them when possible.

For folks in more rural areas, a related question is: What if we’re in a rural area with limited options—can this still work?

Ludis Cardenas [8:52]
Yes. We have extensive experience in rural markets. We work with vendors who specialize in extended service areas, and sometimes we combine vendors to ensure full coverage.

Our job is to manage that complexity so hospice doesn’t have to. Of course, the number of vendors will vary depending on your specific geography.

Cortney Swartwood [9:20]
Thanks for clarifying. Another one—how do we actually hold vendors accountable once they’re in the network?

Ludis Cardenas [9:30]
It’s a mix of data and engagement. We use scorecards, delivery tracking, client feedback, and dedicated escalation channels to monitor performance.

But it doesn’t stop there. We meet with vendors regularly to provide coaching and support. We’re active partners—building strong, trust-based relationships rooted in transparency and accountability.

Cortney Swartwood [10:01]
That’s one thing I’ve always appreciated about Qualis—the strength and collaboration in those vendor partnerships once they’re brought into the network.

Final question—does Qualis charge extra to access the vendor network?

Ludis Cardenas [10:21]
Not at all. Access is included in our standard engagement. There are no extra fees.

In fact, most hospices actually reduce their overall DME spend once we streamline vendor performance and improve utilization.

Cortney Swartwood [10:40]
Perfect. Thanks so much, Ludis—and thank you to everyone who submitted questions.

If you’d like help evaluating your current vendor mix or want to learn more, reach out to us at marketing@qualis.com. And don’t miss our final mini-webinar coming up next: “40 Hours Back: What Hospice Teams Gain with Proactive DME Support.”

Please complete the quick survey before you go—just two questions—and hit submit when you’re ready. Thanks again for joining and we’ll see you next time!

Ludis Cardenas [11:25]
Bye, guys.