By September 2009, any durable medical equipment company seeking Medicare reimbursement must be accredited. Eagle Medical Services (EMS), a six-year-old DME company in Gainesville, FL isn't waiting till the deadline. The company has just received accreditation from the Joint Commission.

"We believe in quality care for all patients and are one of the first in our area to accomplish this great task," said co-owner John Green, whose business partner is his wife Gretta Green.

The company, a minority and veteran-owned business and Veterans Administration hospital supplier, focuses on new equipment including patient lifts, hospital beds, power chairs, scooters and other equipment. Supplying these aids also requires the company to fit and instruct patients in their use, a critically important service that was part of the Joint Commission's review. In fact the accreditation process was extremely rigorous, as one would expect.

"It was a year-long prep for the survey and when the surveyor comes, he stays two days, drives with all the drivers to see what type of patient care is given and to make sure of inspection control, equipment tracking and service," Gretta Green explained. "We passed our first time out....We're proud of ourselves."

The company is a DOTmed user that also provides contract services such as delivery of DME in their region. "Online companies that do drop shipping might need a service company here to make sure the equipment arrives safely and that patients are instructed in its use," Gretta said.

As for the intensive and protracted accreditation process, other companies would be wise to follow in EMS's footsteps and get started right away. Note that the Joint Commission is not the only accrediting body. Others include the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) and the Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP), among others. Regardless of the body, the process includes a thorough evaluation of clinical, technical, administrative, and business practices.

Some background: Since the early 1990s, the durable medical equipment industry has pressed Congress and Medicare to impose provider accreditation requirements for durable medical equipment suppliers, according to the American Association for Homecare. Accreditation is a time-tested way of distinguishing legitimate businesses from fraudulent entities. While it took Congress until 2003 to pass a law mandating accreditation, it wasn't until several weeks ago that Medicare actually indicated the date by which DME suppliers must be accredited--September 30, 2009.

Read DOTmed News coverage of Medicare requirements including links for more information:
https://www.dotmed.com/news/story/5409/
https://www.dotmed.com/news/story/5325/

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