The True Cost of Poor Vendor Relationships in Hospice DME

When running a healthcare facility, whether a clinic, hospital, or hospice care facility, you need a steady, reliable stream of durable medical equipment (DME). DME encompasses reusable medical devices and supplies such as wheelchairs, blood sugar monitors, and CPAP machines. Over 2.5 million people in the U.S. rely on DME of some kind.

DME is a $66 billion industry in the United States and is only expected to grow. However, customer service from DME providers has been lacking lately, and the COVID-19 pandemic revealed how fragile the supply chain can be for DME. Without a strong relationship with your DME vendors, you could be left without the equipment or the answers you need to resolve DME problems.

By cultivating your vendor relationships and expanding your vendor network, you can reduce the hidden expenses caused by weak vendor relationships and improve patient care.

The True Costs of Poor DME Vendor Relationships

Hospice vendor management is a sometimes overlooked facet of healthcare management, but good DME supplier relationships are crucial to a successful hospice facility.

When your durable medical equipment partnerships are shaky, you run the risk of facing frequent equipment shortages. A good vendor will anticipate your needs and ensure your supplies arrive on time. This is particularly crucial in hospice settings, when DME is frequently needed to make patients comfortable and safe during end-of-life care.

Many of us will never forget the supply chain shortages that hit the medical industry due to COVID-19. And sometimes, there’s nothing to be done — there’s just no product available. But cultivating relationships with your vendors will make it more likely they’ll go out of their way to go beyond anticipating your needs to also help you come up with alternative solutions in the event of a DME shortage.

Additionally, when you’re a valued customer and on good terms with your vendors, they’re more likely to be responsive and helpful when you need assistance or when something goes awry. Good DME suppliers don't just provide quality products, they also provide exceptional customer service. No more wasting your time chasing down help; a strong DME network can save you up to 40 hours per week in DME-related administrative hours.

Pricing is another factor to consider. Simply put, a good relationship with your vendors is cost-effective for your facility. Vendors you know are more likely to be flexible with pricing and terms and will often work to get you a good deal.  A good relationship with your vendors is good for your facility’s pocketbook, too. Working with an efficient DME manager like Qualis can provide up to 25% in non-formulary savings.

How Vendor Flexibility Saves Money & Improves Care

While building strong relationships with your vendors is essential, it’s equally vital that you look out for the facility’s best interests. If a vendor isn’t working out for whatever reason, even if you’re on good terms, it’s okay to look at other options. 

Expanding your vendor network gives you the freedom of vendor flexibility in hospice care. Vendor A is out of what you need? No problem, vendor B has it. There’s nothing wrong with loyalty, but expanding your network allows you to get the best service and product availability. 

Another benefit of vendor flexibility is the ability to negotiate better pricing. When you can see what multiple vendors charge for the same product, you can use that information to get the best deals possible for your facility. A strategic partnership with these companies gives you an even greater advantage in negotiations, as vendors want to maintain their relationships with their partners when possible.

At Qualis, we offer a robust DME vendor network of more than 900 vetted, high-quality vendors. Our hospice vendor management services make managing DME simple and painless. In addition to a range of vendor partners, our DME+ ordering and tracking solution offers transparent insights into performance across multiple areas. This centralized reporting allows for both improving hospice equipment service while also creating more cost-effective hospice operations.

Improve Your Vendor Network with Qualis

You don’t have to be stuck with a poor vendor network. The business management services we offer at Qualis can help you expand and improve your vendor network to find strategic partners offering the best products and customer service at the best rates. Our DME evaluation can tell you precisely what you need to grow your business and provide quality patient care.

Hospice vendor management can be tricky and even overwhelming, but we’re here to help. Contact us today to learn more about the vendors we have in your area and how we can help you improve your vendor network.