Guest guest Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 we are a private practice and we found a DME who will stock in our clinic and do all the paper work including getting the referral if needed. We usually get that since it is our recommendation. Maybe you need to put it out for bid to get your current DME's attention on who the customer is. Good Luck Bubba Klostermann OT, CVE, CEAS CEO, WORK & REHAB 4546 South 14 th Abilene, Texas 79605 phone: fax: email: bubklo@... This e-mail and any files transmitted with it are the property of WORK & REHAB, are confidential, and are intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom this e-mail is addressed. If you are not one of the named recipient(s) or otherwise have reason to believe that you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete this message immediately from your computer. Any other use, retention, dissemination, forwarding, printing, or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 We faced the same challenge and developed a 'script' that is kept on the nursing units. It is somewhat generic -- has walker, crutches, commode, also includes some of the home respiratory items. We educated nursing and the social workers and case manager/discharge planners so we're all aware of the need to have a signed prescription for equipment. [it even has a line for the medical diagnosis]. Either the therapist, nurse or case manager fills out the 'script and puts it on the chart for physician signature prior to discharge. Often it is completed a day or two before discharge because the team knows the patient needs the equipment. This has worked pretty well for all and spreads the responsibility to the whole team instead of just the therapy staff. Irene Bartlett, Rehab Director Mercy-Des Moines ________________________________ From: PTManager [mailto:PTManager ] On Behalf Of Vinson Sent: Friday, December 29, 2006 2:42 PM To: PTManager Subject: DME Consignment Happy New Year Greetings to Everyone - My question is in regards to consignment of DME in an acute care setting. We have walkers, crutches, etc. available to vend to patients at the time of discharge from our organizaton's DME company. The company that supplies these items has become increasingly demanding on what they would like us to do from a paperwork perspective to the point that they are now asking us to obtain the ordering physician signature on the paperwork. I find this to be inappropriate to use the resources of a not-for-profit entity to improve the bottom line of the for-profit entity ( acute therapy does the work, the DME gets the profit). While I realize we (the hospital and the DME company) are all on the same " team " I am hoping there may be other alternatives out there that we have not considered that will maintain the customer service of having equipment in the patient's room before they are discharged, but without it falling on the shoulders of rehab staff. I look forward to your responses. May God Bless You in 2007, Vinson, PT, MPA Rehab Manager Ingham Regional Medical Center Lansing, Michigan ----------------------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 I'm not sure how it works with your Medicare intermediary; but here's what I was told directly from Empire Medicare (Connecticut intermediary). For IPS, one-day/ambulatory surgery, promptcare, and ED patients - we can dispense crutches and canes directly from our own stock and bill Medicare for them. They will be paid as a bundled payment as part of the claim (i.e. IP, ED, etc). The only patients we cannot dispense canes and crutches to are our Medicare Outpatients. We ask them to purchase the cane/crutch and we make the appointment to instruct them. For our other carriers, we bill out the canes and crutches directly to the insurance carrier on our UB92 form with the appropriate revenue code. We do this for heel lifts and AFO's as well. However, we do not dispense walkers, the care management staff handles this and other home needs. Per Empire Medicare - we DO NOT have to be a DME provider to dispense these items to our Inpatients, ED or one day/ambulatory surgery patients. We also do not have a vendor closet - not required per Medicare. We use our own and bill on the claim. We do have a vendor that we use for TENS/traction units and we provide them a copy of the MD order and patient demographic info and they handle all billing for these items. Hope this helps, Kim Palma Office Manager - Eastern Connecticut Health Network Manchester Memorial and Rockville General Hospitals Tel: 860/872-5261 Fax: 860/872-5154 _____ From: PTManager [mailto:PTManager ] On Behalf Of Vinson Sent: Friday, December 29, 2006 3:42 PM To: PTManager Subject: DME Consignment Happy New Year Greetings to Everyone - My question is in regards to consignment of DME in an acute care setting. We have walkers, crutches, etc. available to vend to patients at the time of discharge from our organizaton's DME company. The company that supplies these items has become increasingly demanding on what they would like us to do from a paperwork perspective to the point that they are now asking us to obtain the ordering physician signature on the paperwork. I find this to be inappropriate to use the resources of a not-for-profit entity to improve the bottom line of the for-profit entity ( acute therapy does the work, the DME gets the profit). While I realize we (the hospital and the DME company) are all on the same " team " I am hoping there may be other alternatives out there that we have not considered that will maintain the customer service of having equipment in the patient's room before they are discharged, but without it fallin! g on the shoulders of rehab staff. I look forward to your responses. May God Bless You in 2007, Vinson, PT, MPA Rehab Manager Ingham Regional Medical Center Lansing, Michigan ----------------------------------------- " This message originates from Eastern Connecticut Health Network. The information contained in this message may be privileged and confidential. If you are the intended recipient, you must maintain this message in a secure and confidential manner. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately and destroy this message, Thank you. " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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