Coverage, reform, technology among drivers of CRT

The push for better coverage in complex rehab continues to reshape the landscape, with experts highlighting key wins—most notably, securing funding for power seat elevation—and ongoing challenges as 2025 unfolds. 

“Funding for power seat elevation definitely has been a huge win for the industry and the clients receiving this function on their power mobility devices,” said Jay Brislin, vice president of Quantum Rehab. “The amount of increased independence, social interaction and functional ability seat elevation provides to a client is unquestionable.” 

This achievement, the result of years of advocacy by manufacturers and organizations like NCART, underscores the value of collaboration with CMS to address the complexities of product development for complex rehab, says Paul Lavin, vice president of rehab at Invacare North America. 

Both Brislin and Lavin see opportunities for continued progress, such as positive movement in securing funding for power standing systems, reforming service and repair policies, leveraging AI in the manufacturing process and collaborating as a group to advance the complex industry. 

Tackling service and repair 

Service and repair remain significant challenges in the complex rehab industry, requiring manufacturers to address issues both through product design and technician input. 

“Our goal is to create products that are not only able to be repaired but also able to grow and update after the initial sale,” said Lavin. “Features such as enhanced access to batteries, greatly increased commonality of parts across all powered mobility platforms and electronic transmission of power chair programs allow technicians to modify, repair and enhance systems, whether in the patient’s home or in clinics.” 

Remote diagnostics also plays an important role, allowing technicians and ATPs in the field to be more efficient, says Lavin. 

Leveraging technology 

As artificial intelligence evolves, manufacturers are exploring its applications to save costs amid an unpredictable political and economic landscape. 

“AI has a ton of potential to help streamline processes, data analysis, training materials and overall organizational efficiency,” said Brislin. “Time and efficiency are very important in our industry and the faster we can produce products and services, the better we are able to serve our clients. 

While AI holds promise for the complex rehab industry, research and development efforts face challenges from FDA requirements and HIPAA compliance, says Lavin. 

“Despite these challenges, we do see where AI has the potential to be a great help to people that we work with in the CRT space,” he said. “Recent enhancements in voice recognition technology are also particularly exciting to us as a manufacturer and we are currently exploring ways to incorporate this into our current technologies.” 

A collaborative future 

Ultimately, industry leaders agree that collaboration and innovation will continue to shape the CRT landscape in 2025. By addressing reimbursement challenges, advancing technology and prioritizing service and education, the industry is better positioned to enhance patient outcomes and independence. 

“It would be beneficial for manufacturers to unite as a collective force, putting aside competitive differences to support the industry’s growth,” Lavin said.