The Hidden Costs of DME Mismanagement in Hospice

Growth Is Good - Until It Isn’t

Durable medical equipment (DME) chaos often shows as a piece of broken equipment that stops working at the worst of times. But things are rooted much deeper than that: an unexpected failure is just the culmination of a long chain of broken processes.

The catch, however, is to avoid placing blame on your staff. They probably spend hours on end chasing hard-to-get follow-ups. That delayed piece of equipment? It’s actually the result of a back-order that went unnoticed.

On your end, all of this chaos shows up as a hole in your financial sheets. Poor billing transparency and hidden costs are everywhere in traditional DME models. But we aren’t here just to let you know: we want to help.

Where Costs Creep In

Mismanaged DME doesn’t always show up as a single dramatic failure that’s easily identifiable. Instead, it’s about the small things that compound, forming a domino effect on your balance sheet. Here are some common places where waste hides and where you can exercise hospice DME cost control:

• Pick-up delays: Every day a piece of equipment sits unused is a day with unfair bills from uncollected items. Extra rental days can quietly (but surely) rack up across dozens of patients across your practice.
• One-size-fits-all pricing: Vendors sometimes have standard pricing models, but the model may not fit your specific needs. This may mean overpaying for items that you don’t use all that much or don’t really need.
• Lack of oversight: Inaccurate tracking and documentation equals missed chances to recover costs. Without the right systems in place, hospices may overlook crucial reimbursement opportunities spanning all their DME needs.

And it all comes down to one overarching problem: when no one’s sure about the what, when, and how, your whole practice takes a toll. But things get even trickier when it comes to local regulations.

State-by-State Examples

Rules, regulations, and requirements vary wildly depending on where you are. Hospice care is complicated enough, but taking into account local laws is pretty much a full-time job in and of itself.

Take Texas, for example. Some equipment requires justification letters to meet local guidelines, along with comprehensive (and honestly tedious) documentation. California, on the other hand, sets reimbursement rates for each individual item. This structure requires careful financial planning and billing to ensure no dollar goes to waste.

You get the idea: trying to perfectly manage this across multiple vendors and payors is almost impossible. Hospices shouldn’t have to become regulatory experts to get patients what they need.

And that’s exactly why we believe a central system is paramount in any hospice.

How Qualis Puts You Back in Control

At Qualis, our mission is simple: DME inefficiencies should be a thing of the past in your practice.

Instead of juggling your finances around your traditional DME model, we provide practical answers to hospice operational challenges. And that's exactly why we put together a vast network of only the best DME providers, ensuring you always leave equipment needs in the hands of people you can trust.

With over 900 suppliers on our DME roster, Qualis helps you and your staff get all the options you’ll ever need. But our nationwide vendor network is just the beginning.

With our DME+ infrastructure, you’ll also get access to:

• Transparent pricing: Forget about blindly paying for equipment. You’ll always know what you’re paying for, who you’re paying it to, and, most importantly, why.
• Centralized reporting: Every single detail of your DME needs and orders will be just a few clicks away. Paperwork means stress, so freeing up your staff will help them focus on what really matters.
• Equipment tracking: Enough of chasing around information about where your money and equipment are. Our software allows you to swiftly see exactly when and how your equipment is being sent out and delivered.

We mostly work behind the scenes, but our testimonials speak for themselves. But it’s not just about our software and DME vendor accountability: it’s about treating your DME partner as a strategic asset.

Savings Start With Visibility

The bottom line may be a bit harsh, but necessary to hear: if you can’t find where your DME money is going, you can’t fix your finances correctly.

At Qualis, we strive to bring that much-needed data and structure to each and every hospice with minimal effort on their end. You’ll be gaining something much more valuable than DME savings: you’ll have a strategic partner to help you in every situation.

If you’re ready to finally take over your DME strategy and finance, get in touch with our team today!