HMEs need tools to prove their value in the health continuum
Medicare solvency has been a major topic of discussion in every major election over the past 10 years. The consensus says skyrocketing costs are the problem and that containment is the solution, but not everyone agrees who is to blame. Depending on who is doing the finger pointing, the culprits are overpaid DME/HME providers, inefficient government programs or bloated health-care insurers. In order to prevent the lack of awareness and perception that HMEs are low-value providers, we must demonstrate our value through the use of quantifiable evidence and measurable outcomes.
Chronic illness is a dominant feature of healthcare, and its dominance will increase as the large baby boomer population reaches retirement age. It is clear that the economy will not be able to support all treatments for all babyboomers all the time in high-cost acute and sub-acute care environments. We will have to face the issue of appropriate outcomes for chronic diseases with chronic treatments and absolutely have the responsibility to develop the framework from which we ultimately collaborate to develop these comprehensive outcomes. Read More