DMEscripts: ‘We’re set up for success’ 

INDIANAPOLIS – DMEscripts is at the tipping point of driving “real scale” in the number of HME providers and referral sources adopting e-prescribing, says new CEO John Brady. 

Brady believes the HME industry is now in the same position as the pharmacy industry in 2008, when it came together to form Surescripts and, over the course of the next several years, reached market acceptance. 

“The future of DMEscripts is all about driving transactions,” said Brady, who was named CEO in September and who has more than 25 years of health care experience, including at Stratice Healthcare. “We have a baseline of orders coming in and we’re seeing providers and referral sources signing up from across the country. It’s an exciting transformation point.” 

An industry-led group of investors that includes AAHomecare, VGM & Associates, AdaptHealth, Apria Healthcare, Lincare and Rotech Healthcare aligned to form DMEscripts in 2021. 

That baseline of orders, thanks to a network of early-adopting providers and referral sources, will build confidence in e-prescribing more broadly, Brady says. 

“Referral sources don’t want to invest in e-prescribing if there isn’t anyone to receive their orders,” he said. “Having an established network is a key driver of establishing adoption.” 

Going forward, Brady says the strategy is all about mobilizing providers to adopt DMEscripts, integrating the platform with electronic health record providers like Epic and Cerner, and ramping up messaging to referral sources. 

“The biggest challenge is behavioral change,” Brady said. “Where we can offer real value to referral sources is better visibility to patient compliance and a more efficient way of delivering care. They’re as frustrated as we are.”  

While fewer than 10% of orders are currently coming in via e-prescribing, DMEscripts now expects adoption to begin moving more on a “hockey stick,” says Frank Schools, CFO, who joined DMEscripts last year and who has been working for the past year to increase the capabilities of the platform. 

“We now have the broadened technology and administrative function to be a fully formed and functioning company,” he said. “We’re set up for success and ready to take it to the next stage.”