Specialty Solutions Spotlight: Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Scheduling
Donita Stacker
Director of Operations, Apricus, an Enlyte company
How can I simplify DME requests for workers’ comp injuries?
Navigating the wide range of durable medical equipment (DME), which can include anything from medical equipment and supplies to modification services, rehabilitation equipment and electrotherapy units, along with the nuanced products in each category can be complicated.
DME referrals are mainly requested from treating physicians who may be unaware of the wide variety of equipment available. Physicians may inadvertently write a prescription for a costly brand-name product when a comparable less expensive generic version is available.
You often don’t have the time or bandwidth to research different products amid an injured employee being discharged or in the middle of managing a claim. Instead of trying to educate yourself on multiple product variations, you can rely on Apricus’ dedicated care coordinators who have ready knowledge, can review orders on your behalf and will bring any concerns to your attention.
Apricus offers a single point of contact for all equipment and services, handles all fulfillment and billing and will work exclusively with dedicated, cost-conscious vendors nationwide to meet the needs for virtually any type of case. Our specialty program can also deliver outstanding results related to network penetration, savings, decreased out-of-network activity and injured employee satisfaction. Here’s what to look for when choosing a specialty service program:
Broad Product Knowledge: Deep expertise and access to a wide range of DME products and services, including, but not limited to:
Standard DME (Rental and Purchase)
- Ambulatory aids—wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, canes
- Hearing aids and supplies
- Bath and hygienic equipment
- Continuous Passive Motion Device (CPM), cold therapy, wound VAC
Specialty Rehab Equipment
- Custom wheelchairs and scooters
- Lift chairs and lifts
- Specialty beds and mattresses
- Custom and off the shelf
Modification Services
- Respiratory supplies, including CPAP and Bi-Pap Units
- Wound care
- Urinary and incontinence
- Burn care
Electrotherapy Units and Supplies
- Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) units
- Muscle stimulators
- Galvanic and interferential stimulators
- Bone growth stimulators
High-Level Customer Service: Apricus offers both customer and patient-focused delivery of DME products, as well as a single point of contact to meet your injured employee’s needs through one resource. A small vendor might not have the connections and means to facilitate a high-touch customer experience, while a large, highly siloed company may be too unwieldy, resulting in fragmented service.
Broad Network: Utilizing a national network of contracted DME providers offers prompt delivery, convenience and significant savings on fee schedules. Credentialing is also key. Apricus has service agreements and vets their DME providers, ensuring these vendors are properly licensed, insured and adhere to contract rates.
Continuum of Care: Apricus closely collaborates with case managers to ensure clinical oversight is applied to any specialty service need. Many times, injured employees require medical and specialty services combined. As a result, a coordinated approach between Apricus’ care coordinators who can facilitate DME referrals and the care manager who is focused on the immediate needs of the patient ensures appropriate equipment is arranged in a timely manner, costs are considered and better outcomes achieved.
Our recommendation—you don’t need to go it alone. Choosing the wrong product will cost valuable time, can be expensive and could increase dissatisfaction for your injured employee. If you have questions about handling DME needs, we can help with product and service recommendations and can facilitate referrals through our credentialed network of providers that meet all your injured employee’s needs.
This information is meant to serve as a general overview, and any specific questions should be fully reviewed with a health care professional or specialty service provider.
To make a referral for this service and others, call us today at 877.203.9899 or send an email to referrals@apricusinc.com.