Software
Indivisible
One Nation, under God, indivisible We repeat these words in our Pledge of Allegiance. We say That has only one meaning: not separable into parts. We are
Author
Shelly Prial
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Software
Consider Communication
There is one facet of operation that DME/HME principals should take more time to consider. It is in-house communication. Look upon your employees as team -
Software
What If There Were No Medicare?
Can you contemplate what would happen to our business if suddenly the government decided to cancel Medicare? I brought this topic up at a recent meeting -
Software
Take a Look at Telehealth
The more I learn about telemedicine, the more enthusiastic I become about this new discipline although it really isn't new any longer. Earlier this year, -
Legislation & Regulation
The Road to Progress
My phone has not stopped ringing these past few months. Friends have been asking me the same question in many different forms: “How can my company operate under the new provisions in the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA)?” To this question, I point to the words of Madame Marie Curie: “Nothing in this world is to be feared. It is only to be understood.” Our country is going through a major upheaval. Events happen almost daily that will affect every business in one form or another, whether it is for higher gasoline prices or additional taxes. None of this matters so long as you are not afraid. You are all businesspeople, entrepreneurs. That fact is confirmed by the successful companies you all run. As I look... -
Operations
Earning Your Credentials
I hope that you have read the February and March 2004 issues of HomeCare magazine very carefully. Among a series of articles advising providers on doing business in these changing times, the importance of accreditation is clearly described. Now, I want to play the Devil’s Advocate. Do we need accreditation? The meaning of accreditation is that someone (of authority) has sanctioned or provided credentials or certification that the recipient has met or complied with specific standards. At a Medtrade Spring panel discussion in Las Vegas, several of the industry’s accrediting organizations made presentations re-viewing their individual programs and respective benefits. What is interesting is that all of these programs have one common thread: They show DME/HME dealers ways to run their businesses more efficiently, and... -
Operations
Trimming the Fat, Expanding Sales
If obesity were a virus, we would be facing a modern-day plague. As I was driving to work the other day, a commentator on the radio announced that 68 percent of the American public is overweight, which makes me wonder, is being overweight a reflection of the times? Sometimes I get the feeling we are a nation of hedonists, and the only comfort we seek is self-gratification. I love reading that the fast food entrepreneurs are responsible. Are they? They aren’t taking people by the hand and dragging them in for their hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, fries and other inexpensive gastronomical delights. They are merchants, same as you, and they are only filling a niche. As a DME dealer interested in the welfare of your clientele,... -
Legislation & Regulation
Look Upon the Doughnut
The last few months have been trying times, filled with much confusion, with information changing daily, with regulations that we all have difficulty understanding. It seems that the bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., are having difficulty in finding a common approach to Medicare, to Medicaid, to Social Security, to a rapidly rising national debt and to resolving our difficulties with terrorists. While the government’s recent actions have had a detrimental effect on the average DME/HME dealer, HHAs and most other health practitioners, this is not the time for sackcloth and ashes. On the contrary, now is when you have to restructure your plans for the future. Throughout this issue of HomeCare, you’ll find lots of suggestions from the experts on how to prepare your business for... -
CMS/Medicare
Industry Standards
One of the platforms I have preached for many years is that there are far too few standards for products offered to Medicare beneficiaries. The price CMS pays to DME dealers usually is the same for a quality walker as it is for a cheap knockoff. Invariably, the knockoff may look the same as the quality unit, but that is normally as far as it goes. The knockoffs often break down, and many do not have the same life expectancy as the quality items. Can you compare a walker that may cost the dealer $50 (or more) with one that is sold to him for $15 or less? We need standards, and they should be strict and enforceable. To push for standards, I recommend that... -
Legislation & Regulation
Sit Tight
By the time this issue of HomeCare goes to press you will have read many articles about the Medicare reform bill, or Medicare prescription drug plan, that will be going into effect, in part, this month. I have examined what the doomsayers predict. I have reviewed what the politicians think they have produced. I must admit, I am confused. These last few weeks I have received many telephone calls asking me what I feel the dealers should do. My answer is, “Sit tight.” We are very fortunate to have an association as effective as the American Association for Homecare leading the charge. They have your best interests in mind and are working very hard to rectify some of the obvious faults in the program. Here...