Medtrade Spring preview: Seize opportunity to be relevant

LAS VEGAS-The HME industry certainly provides significant value to the healthcare sector, but some stakeholders argue that more must be done to prove it.

At Medtrade Spring in Las Vegas, in a session titled “Monetizing the Value of Outcomes," Dewey Roof, president of LifeH2H, will explain the importance to HME providers of demonstrating financial value to hospitals and providers.

HME News: What are the most important outcomes for HME providers to be collecting and why?

Dewey Roof: Readmissions is the hot number, but a growing one is extended length of stay. Every hour spent in a hospital means they have to staff a hospital, so anywhere an HME provider can help facilitate a discharge, you can help them save money.

HME: Why should every HME provider be in the business of not only collecting and analyzing outcomes, but also sharing them with referral sources, insurers and others?

Roof: The industry has done a woeful job of demonstrating the value of our business. We know the spend is low in our arena, but what have we done to demonstrate that to our key clients?

HME: Are there technologies that can help HME providers in collecting, analyzing and sharing outcomes?

Roof: There is public data available, but it takes some effort to translate that into what you've done. You've got to track the patients, stay engaged with them, capture and report their experience, and then cross reference with public data.

HME: How can outcomes change the stereotypes that surround being an HME provider?

Roof: People want to be at home, and we know it's a lower cost continuum, but we've never put a dollar amount to it.

HME: What's the one thing you want attendees to take away from your session?

Roof: That there is probably an opportunity like there's never been before to become relevant across the healthcare continuum.