Archive: December 2017

A. Most HME providers already have an existing database of patients and capture key information during the intake process; so, what's the next step? What products and strategies are most effective? How can you measure success?As with all marketing, you must find a way to be relevant to the audience; data can help target different products based on demographics and disease state. In addition to understanding patient challenges based on the equipment you provide, timing is also a significant...

MINNEAPOLIS - Coloplast, which has its U.S. headquarters here but is based in Denmark, announced this month that it has acquired SAS Lilial for a cash consideration of EUR 35.5m or DKK 264m.Lilial is a privately owned French company that distributes catheter and ostomy supplies nationally. It provides patients with products from several different manufacturers, including Coloplast.“The acquisition of SAS Lilial is part of our strategy of pursuing inorganic opportunities to accelerate...

A. With the recent cuts in reimbursement, home care providers are looking to get every penny out of every transaction. Taking advantage of an oxygen non-delivery model eliminates service costs for the provider and puts them in position to thrive in the low reimbursement era. Most manufacturers have designed products and crafted programs designed to make this possible for providers. A good option to convert an existing fleet is to look into the pricing options on bundling portable and stationary...

  Oxygen technology continues to make strides, from remote monitoring connectivity to product engineering that bolsters efficiency, durability and longevity. And while new product designs ultimately benefit the patient, they are also geared toward saving providers money in a hardscrabble reimbursement climate, manufacturers say. “The goal of technological innovation is to drive better outcomes and lower costs across the board more efficiently,” said Biola Okunola, global marketing...

DENVER - The Kids Mobility Network hit $5 million in donated wheelchairs, walkers and other mobility equipment in November. Here's what Peter Kopp, who founded the nonprofit with his wife Christy, had to say about the difficulties of doing good.HME News: You first started accepting donated equipment in 2005, with the goal of refurbishing it and getting it back in the hands of children with disabilities. What's surprised you on this journey? Peter Kopp: The demand is so much greater than we...

A. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have been integrated in our daily lives from social media interactions, retail shopping and now healthcare. Unlike the retail industry, where ads are triggered based on a web user's interest, the healthcare industry uses predictive analysis to learn more about patients and improve their health outcomes, which in turn can lead to cost savings. Machine learning platforms help identify potential issues or gaps in care. By doing this, we can...

YARMOUTH, Maine - Unsurprisingly, a large majority of providers fear the “Amazon effect” on the DME market, according to the results of a recent HME Newspoll.While Amazon already offers basic DME, the retail giant has reportedly applied for wholesale distribution licenses in more than a dozen states for “durable medical equipment distribution, medical gas distribution, or both,” according to multiple news reports. “I don't like things such as oxygen being offered...

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Exhibit space for the upcoming International Seating Symposium is such a hot commodity that there are 40-plus companies on a waiting list.Exhibit space for ISS, March 6-9, at The Westin Bayshore, here, is locked in at 75 companies, including Inspired by Drive, Permobil and Invacare.Maureen Story, who co-chairs the committee charged with planning ISS, spoke with HME News about why the event, which hops between Canada and the U.S. each year, has seen such dynamic growth.HME...

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - It's no secret that audits, and all the administrative complexities that accompany them, have been the bane of the HME industry for years. But a recently formed partnership between HME stakeholders aims to change that.Dubbed RxCloud9, LLC, the partnership between HME business owners and a HME billing software developer is poised to release a software package that aims to simplify—and, more importantly, clarify—the audit process.“The value in this product...

HARTFORD, Conn. - With all of the noise about the need to reduce healthcare costs, post-acute care is getting a lot of attention these days, and companies like CareCentrix, a health management services provider, are ready for the spotlight, says CEO John Driscoll.Driscoll sees opportunities for its network of post-acute care providers to show how they keep patients home and reduce costs.“In an unmanaged environment, whether it's the government or managed care, they will just take all of the...