HME News in 10

Ronda Buhrmester on the bottleneck that’s costing you

Welcome to a special episode of HME News in 10, sponsored by Prochant.  
 
Today’s guest is Ronda Buhrmester, vice president of client experience, for Prochant. 

As a 30-year veteran of the HME industry, she knows intake has always been a headache, but today it’s a full-blown pressure point that’s on a collision course with surging referrals, increasingly complex payer rules and ongoing staffing shortages.
 
In this episode, Buhrmester breaks down what’s really driving denials and delays, and more importantly, what providers can do about it.  

Her top takeaway? The providers who win are the ones who get proactive, dig deep and fix intake at the root. 

Hosts:  
Liz Beaulieu
Theresa Flaherty  

Guest: 
Ronda Buhrmester 

Justin Lewis provides an AI reality check

Welcome to a special episode of HME News in 10, sponsored by Brightree. 

Today’s guest is Justin Lewis, senior director of Brightree’s ReSupply LiveCall Service. He offers a reality check on AI and how to use it in a way that actually improves patient experience. 

“We put a lot of thought into how a call should actually feel from the patient’s perspective – where it should start, how we should ask questions, what decisions need to happen in the background, and what a smooth handoff looks like when a human is needed,” he said. 

When providers move past common misconceptions about AI, Lewis says they can use it to: 

• Handle routine requests, like order status, more efficiently 
• Free up agents to focus on complex conversations 
• Better manage call volume spikes 
• Extend service capabilities 

Ultimately, Lewis says AI is at its best when it delivers real, measurable value – not hype.

Hosts: 
Liz Beaulieu 
Theresa Flaherty 

Guest: 
Justin Lewis

CGM Competitive Bidding

Welcome to a special episode of HME News in 10, sponsored by DDP Medical Supply. 

Today’s guest, Brian O’Neill, president of DDP Medical Supply, says providers of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) are at a fork in the road. 

With the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) adding CGMs to the next round of the Medicare competitive bidding program, providers must choose: 

• Step away before bidding begins; or 
• Scale up to compete for one of the limited contracts 

O’Neill shares why DDP is focused on partnering with those aiming to win – and how its expanded distribution network and other upcoming initiatives are designed to help providers deliver nationwide efficiently and economically. 

Hosts: 
Liz Beaulieu 
Theresa Flaherty 

Guest: 
Brian O’Neill 

Mitch Yoel on the hidden economy of POCs

Welcome to a special episode of HME News in 10, sponsored by Rhythm Healthcare.

Today’s guest, Mitch Yoel, COO of Rhythm Healthcare, pulls back the curtain on what he calls the “hidden economy” of portable oxygen concentrators (POCs). Beyond the purchase price, providers often absorb the cost-of-service calls, tech labor, RMAs, loaners and downtime – expenses that can crush margins.

Yoel’s advice:

1. Measure service costs like you measure reimbursement
2. Partner with manufacturers who share downstream risk
3. Implement SLAs with exchange-for-new warranty programs

“I think providers who reframe oxygen as an uptime program – not just a product purchase – are going to own disproportionate referral share,” Yoel says. “They’ll enjoy better financials and deliver better outcomes for patients.”

Hosts: 
Liz Beaulieu 
Theresa Flaherty 
 
Guest: Mitch Yoel

Steve Cela on why you can't fix what you can't see

Welcome to a special episode of HME News in 10 sponsored and developed by Strategic Office Support (SOS). 

Today’s guest is Steve Cela, CEO of SOS. He joins HME News in 10 to expose the invisible workflow leaks quietly draining revenue from even the best HME providers. His message is clear: It’s not staffing or reimbursement holding you back - it’s the leaks you can’t see.

In this episode, Cela encourages providers to embrace:

•  Visibility;
•  Automation; and
• Operational discipline.

As Cela puts it, “Change is a heavy lift, but the market is moving fast. The next five years will separate the winners from the watchers.”

Hosts: 
Liz Beaulieu 
Theresa Flaherty 
 
Guest: Steve Cela

Nick Bush on trust and speed in HME

Welcome to a special episode of HME News in 10 sponsored and developed by Direct Supply.  

In this episode of HME News in 10, Nick Bush, vice president of sales, Smart Products & Special Markets, at Direct Supply, explores how the growing trend of consumerism in health care is strengthening—not weakening—the role of HME providers. 

“I think a big portion of it goes to the service side of it,” he says. “Medical equipment is really a local game (because) there is so much emotion tied to health care product decisions. It’s a decision people want to make where they trust who they’re deciding to work with. Price becomes less relevant in those situations.”

Bush also shares insights on: 

• How distributors and providers can collaborate to leverage their unique strengths 
• Why speed has become the new currency in HME 
• What it means to approach the future with “eyes wide open” and a readiness to embrace new care models 

Hosts: 
Liz Beaulieu 
Theresa Flaherty 
 
Guest: 
Nick Bush

Doug Francis on the POC ‘tipping point’

Welcome to a special episode of HME News in 10 sponsored and developed by Rhythm Healthcare.

 
In this episode of HME News in 10, Doug Francis, CEO of Rhythm Healthcare, talks about the HME “trailblazers” who are embracing portable oxygen concentrators.
 
“This is a provider who has invested, not only in the efficiencies that can be derived from POCs, but also turning that into clinical messaging to tell referral sources, ‘We’re a technology-forward company,’” he said. “When they take the time to educate on the benefits to the patient, and when they tell that story, they are seeing a 30%-plus increase in respiratory referrals.”
 
For Francis, the industry is at a tipping point where both the clinical community and the consumer are going to start demanding POCs – a great time to make the switch.

Hosts: 
Liz Beaulieu 
Theresa Flaherty 
 
Guest: 
Doug Francis

 

Jim Dragatsis on the nuance of resupply

Welcome to a special episode of HME News in 10 sponsored and developed by ACU-Serve.

In this episode of HME News in 10 Jim Dragatsis, president of resupply at ACU-Serve, drills into the art of patient engagement and its impact on the success of an HME provider’s resupply program. 

What makes a resupply program thrive? Dragatsis shares how providers must tailor their communication strategies to patient demographics and preferences, continuously monitor attrition rates, and refine their approach to keep patients engaged. 

The payoff? Enhanced CPAP therapy adherence and consistent monthly revenue. 

Tune in for practical insights and a candid look at what it takes to make resupply work. 

Hosts: 
Liz Beaulieu 
Theresa Flaherty 
 
Guest: 
Jim Dragatsis

 

Joey Graham on tackling the ‘silent killers’ in your RCM process

Welcome to a special episode of HME News in 10 sponsored and developed by Prochant.

Today’s guest is Joey Graham, CEO of Prochant. He joins HME News in 10 to talk about why revenue cycle management (RCM) is at the heart of the financial stability of HME providers, especially as they play “whack-a-mole" with new challenges like Medicaid cuts. He also talks about addressing the “silent killers” in the RCM process by leveraging tech-enabled automation and strategic partnerships. When done right, RCM “is nothing less than transformative,” Graham says.

Hosts: 
Liz Beaulieu 
Theresa Flaherty 
 
Guest: 
Joey Graham

Harold Davis on raising the bar

Welcome to a special episode of HME News in 10 sponsored and developed by Healthcare Quality Association on Accreditation.

Today’s guest is Harold Davis, director of survey services for the Healthcare Quality Association on Accreditation. He joins HME News in 10 to talk about how accreditation improves patient care. “Most providers want to do things right,” he said. “Most are accepting of the accreditation process because they view it as a process that actually improves their business.” Davis also talks about why accreditation is a year-round endeavor. 

Hosts: 
Liz Beaulieu 
Theresa Flaherty 
 
Guest: 
Harold Davis