Technology and Hospice DME: Tracking and Reporting

Technology has been transforming medical care for many years. Treatment technologies that improve quality of life and reduce disease burdens usually take center stage. New therapies and medical techniques are crucial for improving patient outcomes, increasing comfort, and managing chronic and terminal conditions. 

Additionally, information technology has been a significant boon to the entire health care industry. Digital record-keeping, secure data transfers, and telehealth have made care more accurate, efficient, and accessible. 

Hospice providers can use information technology systems to cut down on time devoted to administrative tasks, giving providers more time with patients. Centralized procurement systems can manage durable medical equipment (DME) tracking and reporting. Fast, reliable DME delivery and access to a robust vendor network improve the patient experience, simplify care management, and reduce the cost of procuring DME. 

Why Tracking Matters 

Keeping accurate medical records is one of the most important tasks for any type of health care provider. That includes patient information and the administrative information necessary for practice management. 

Data technology has revolutionized record-keeping. Electronic data retention eliminated the need to store bulky paper files and made secure information sharing as simple as hitting “send.” Typing notes into electronic medical records speeds up communication and reduces errors caused by misreading handwritten medical notes. 

Electronic systems are also useful for ordering the supplies necessary for medical practice. Digital procurement systems create an instant trail to track procurement processes from order to delivery. 

Hospice providers can use online DME ordering to get the equipment patients need, while also being able to monitor the process. Online tracking ensures accurate delivery, billing, and pickup. It’s a two-way avenue for transparency, so both hospice providers and vendors know what the expectations are and can take the necessary steps to meet them. 

What Centralized Reporting Brings

Using a centralized system for DME procurement means hospice practices can use a single platform for all DME procurement processes. Instead of checking order status on each vendor’s website or customer portal, providers can use a single dashboard to see all DME orders in one place. 

Centralized hospice reporting allows providers to pull reports showing equipment usage, ordering trends, cost information, and other data that can inform future DME ordering. Tracking DME ordering over time can help providers identify ways to save money while still delivering optimal patient care. 

Impact on Compliance

Hospice equipment tracking and digital DME procurement help with submitting insurance claims. Systems are compliant with CMS regulations and can be regularly updated with the latest billing codes to prevent reimbursement delays. 

Hospice providers can easily pull reports of past orders to submit for routine reporting and prepare for periodic audits. 

Benefits for Care Teams 

Centralized management systems that are purpose-designed for hospice providers can be tremendous time savers. Instead of making calls and filling out purchase orders, staff can use DME procurement platforms to quickly identify vendors who have the needed items available. Staff can synchronize the platform with electronic health records and use that data to initiate a search for equipment. Once staff find what they need, it’s a matter of a few clicks on a mobile device to finalize, order, and automatically record ordering information. 

Intuitive ordering allows hospice providers to complete administrative tasks quickly and spend more time focused on patient care. 

Technology in Action 

Centralized DME management platforms put all DME ordering, tracking, and payment information in one place. Integration with electronic medical records ensures consistency across systems to avoid DME errors and delays with claim reimbursements. 

Dashboards and mobile apps can be customized to send alerts so staff can stay on top of orders, deliveries, invoicing, and scheduling pick-ups. 

The Vendor-Neutral Edge 

Providers can use centralized DME management systems to browse inventory, costs, and delivery times for multiple vendors on a single platform. There’s no need to spend time calling around to different vendors to find out what they have available and when they can deliver it. The platform displays search results, with images of equipment for easy confirmation that it’s the right item. Each order can be finalized in minutes, using either a desktop or mobile interface. 

The Qualis Approach 

Qualis is a comprehensive DME management solution for hospice providers. Our platform allows providers to use a single platform to manage multiple hospice data visibility functions, including: 

• Contract management
• Invoice consolidation
• Order and delivery tracking of multiple vendors
• Financial reporting
• Detailed dashboards with daily updates
• Clinical education courses informing providers about DME trends 

Qualis’ on-demand reporting, data dashboards, and intuitive DME ordering allow your practice to optimize DME procurement, manage costs, and improve patient care. 

If you're interested in learning more about how the Qualis platform can enhance your DME management practices, please contact us to discover more about our nationwide vendor network, order tracking capabilities, customizable reporting, auditing software, and additional features.

Contact us today to set up a demo and find out how your hospice can start using advanced information technology to improve patient care.