Resupply: Establish benchmarks, goals

Q. What are some KPIs I can use to measure the success of our resupply program? 

A. Measuring the success of your resupply program is an important element for not only your business but also your patients. Having key performance indicators to measure is the first step in establishing benchmarks and goals. 

Compliance 

The foundation of a solid resupply program starts with patient compliance. Successfully getting patients compliant on PAP therapy leads to active resupply patients. Monitoring and measuring compliance within the first 90 days of therapy is crucial to setting up patients for long term success on therapy and building your resupply patient base. Without compliance there is no ongoing resupply.  

Connection rate   

Once patients become compliant and are active within resupply, connecting with them is critical. Executing and monitoring the different contact modalities and their connection rates, is a key indicator. Increasing patient connections has a direct impact on the number of resupply orders, patient satisfaction and overall program outcomes. And remember, a connection must result in a conversion for true success. Always monitor those rates.  

Annualized item rate   

How many items are patients getting per year? This metric incorporates both the number of orders per year and how many items per order. For example, if a patient orders three times per year with an average of nine items per order, the annualized item rate is 27. Looking at the annualized item rate allows you to establish a benchmark of where you are today, future goals and how you compare to others within the industry. 

Attrition 

This is one topic that most vendors don’t like to offer any rates or explanations for. To maintain and grow the patient base of any resupply program, focusing on patient attrition is vital. A lot of effort is put into getting new patients. Keeping patients compliant and actively ordering supplies is the ultimate goal for both your patients' health benefits and the success of your program. If you have 200 setups a month and end up flat at the end of the year you have an attrition problem.   

James Dragatsis is CEO of Beyond HME. Reach him at jdragatsis@beyondhme.com.