CCS Medical looks beyond diabetes

FARMER'S BRANCH, Texas - Tony Vehadian, who was recently named CEO of CCS Medical, says delivering health care to the home is an exciting place to be.

“Payers are going to be looking at making sure patients are staying engaged and healthy, and anything you can do digitally to make that happen is going to be needed,” he said. “There's a lot of innovation there.”

Vehadian, who takes the reins on Oct. 26, spoke with HME News recently about where he sees CCS fitting in the ecosystem of health care.

HME News: CCS Medical offers a wide range of disposable medical supplies, but it's best known for its diabetes business. Is that still a major focus?

Tony Vehadian: Diabetes is where the business had its cornerstone and it's continuing to be our fastest growing part. We also see a lot of those patients have co-morbidities. We're seeing the demand from payers and providers to be able to take care of this population and how about this population, as well? A lot of our focus is on expanding our capability beyond diabetes.

HME: CCS Medical offers several wellness programs for patients. Why is that important?

Vehadian: We ask, “Where does CCS fit in the ecosystem of health care?” We work with payers, providers, manufacturers and patients. One of the areas we can add value is the relationship with the patient. With tools like the “Living Connected” program, we are monitoring diabetes patients and we can intervene and coach. It's a value we deliver to payers, providers and manufacturers.

HME: Do you feel COVID has had a big impact on how health care is being delivered in the home?

Vehadian: I think it's been a trend that's been out there for a while but that COVID has accelerated. It brought capabilities that were in the background to the forefront whether it's telemedine or ordering products. As a consumer, I'm not spending as much time in stores or at the doctor's office. Will it go back to the old normal? It may a bit, but the reality is we've found a more efficient and effective way for care to be delivered to the home.

HME: What are some of your immediate goals in your new role?

Vehadian: As I've started to learn the business, one of the areas is how do we make sure our diabetes business grows and we're giving patients what they need. As I look at future growth areas, it goes to our clinical footprint expanding, making sure those businesses are healthy and what's the next horizon of clinical care at home and how can we support that. How can we be a part of that with our digital capabilities, whether it's making it easy to order supplies or educating the patient.