Anyone working in healthcare today understands that the procurement of durable medical equipment (DME) presents challenges. Limited inventory, rising costs, and slow turnaround times can make it difficult to obtain the equipment your patients need when they need it.
For hospice procurements in particular, these obstacles to DME delivery can be difficult for patients and their families. Delays in equipment delivery can mean patients aren't receiving appropriate palliative care, causing unnecessary stress and discomfort.
Hospice agencies can improve DME procurement by working with a vendor-neutral DME network. Centralized DME management with a robust network of vendors allows providers to get the equipment they need.
Working with a constrained set of DME vendors puts limits on hospice providers. The fluid nature of hospice care means that providers aren't in a position to order equipment in advance, but that can mean that your usual vendors might not have the right items in stock when you need them.
When working with a small network of vendors, the real-time equipment demands can bump up against the limits of inventory. If an item isn't available, hospice staff may have to drop what they’re doing and put time and energy into finding alternate procurement avenues.
Even when you can find another vendor to deliver DME, those last-minute orders can lead to added costs. Vendors might tack on fees for expedited delivery or mileage charges for delivering outside of a defined region, often with the opportunity to negotiate. The added costs are locked in, no matter the circumstances.
Working with multi-vendor hospice DME networks gives hospice providers access to nationwide sources for DME inventory. This increases options for hospice providers who need to get high-demand items on a quick turnaround.
Providers can use the mobile platform to search for specific equipment, then select any vendor that meets their requirements for delivery times and cost. It's a straightforward system for hospice providers to find what they need, quickly and easily. There are no algorithms and no tiered access to different vendors. Providers can make choices based on getting the equipment that their patients need.
Flexible hospice sourcing frees providers from constraints of limited inventory, restrictive delivery options, and non-negotiable pricing. The transparent system allows providers to compare costs and delivery options before choosing a vendor.
Hospice providers can be sure they're getting their patients the right equipment, without extra costs or delivery delays.
Centralized ordering platforms integrate with electronic health records (EHR) systems to automatically upload prescription specifics into the ordering system. There's no risk of data entry errors that can lead to costly and time-consuming ordering mistakes.
The large vendor network guarantees that providers can always find DME. There is a lower chance that providers will need to substitute different equipment, which means less time spent requesting new prescriptions and working with insurance companies to make claims adjustments.
Vendor-neutral networks let hospice providers get the right equipment right away. Patients don't have to endure excessive wait times as hospice providers call multiple vendors to source the right equipment. Patients and their families can be assured that they will get appropriate, timely care. Reliable DME procurement eliminates unnecessary stress during an emotional time.
Working with pre-approved vendors ensures that providers don’t have to take a risk on using a service without references or quality assurances. Every time you place an order with a centrally managed DME procurement network, you know you're working with a reliable DME vendor. You can make sure that your patients receive what they need, allowing you to deliver the level of care they deserve.
A large, geographically diverse DME vendor network means that your practice already has the resources necessary to grow. You can expand into new regions and add service capacity, knowing that your DME vendor network can meet your increasing needs.
On the other hand, access to a network means your practice won't be impacted if local DME vendors relocate, close, or increase their rates. You can easily adapt to changes in your region by accessing new or additional vendors as needed.
Qualis is a comprehensive DME management platform. Our national network allows hospice providers to create a customizable mix of vendors for all DME needs. The Qualis platform combines centralized ordering and reporting, as well as archiving all the data your practice needs to conduct periodic auditing and do required regulatory reporting.
The Qualis platform integrates easily with EHR systems for automated, HIPAA-compliant record keeping.
If you're ready to learn how a vendor-neutral DME procurement network can benefit your hospice practice, contact us for a free demo.