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DME companies applaud addition of General DME online documentation

Date Published: September 04 2014

DMEevalumate.com unveiled its General DME program, to complement its power mobility device (PMD) and respiratory face-to-face documentation tool for physicians.

The General DME module provides standardized online documentation and complete outputs for nine frequently vended DME items: manual wheelchairs, canes, crutches, walkers, hospital beds, support surfaces, commodes, urological supplies and diabetic supplies.  

Since the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) announced the new face-to-face rule for 166 DME items last year, DME companies have been looking closely at operational protocols to determine best practices for obtaining documentation from referral sources. 

“DMEevalumate.com has been inundated with requests to develop an online tool to assist practitioners in accurately and completely documenting face-to-face exams for General DME items,” Eric Gregory, Director of Operations for DMEevalumate.com said.

The new General DME module provides online face-to-face evaluations for 73 of the 166 items and produces the appropriate order and face-to-face notes in a preferred Medicare format.

“Rather than guessing what is needed for each DME item, DMEevalumate ensures that all data points are addressed and answered. Our program has been well received by thousands of DME providers and physicians alike who are proactively preparing for audits,” Gregory said.

DMEevalumate launched its PMD module in 2012, and a respiratory module in 2013. To date, thousands of face-to-face evaluations have been successfully completed and documented using the program with a 99 percent success rate for prior authorization. DMEevalumate.com also helps providers prepare for pre- and post-payment audits by ensuring the documentation provided by referring physicians is complete and accurate.

Lisa Petero with Mobility Plus of California, located in one of the seven original Prior Authorization Demonstration (PA Demo) states, says Mobility Plus has been audited in the past year and attributes 100 percent affirmations to DMEevalumate.com.

“Our paperwork has everything in it that Medicare requires,” Petero said.

Petero, who used to spend most of her time visiting referral sources to obtain accurate DME documentation, explains that physicians subscribe to DMEevalumate.com after they realize that they can complete DME face-to-face exams in less than 15 minutes.

“Our physicians like the fact that DMEevalumate.com’s online program addresses Medicare’s coverage criteria and is easy to use.”

DMEevalumate.com is HIPAA compliant and compatible with all Electronic Health Records (EHRs). Upon completion, documentation produced as a result of the respective face-to-face exam is converted to a pdf and can be uploaded to EHRs, printed and sent to the preferred provider for vending.

“I receive complete and accurate orders for DME items and I don’t have to go back to the doctor and ask for missing information,” Petero said.

Missing information is the number one concern for DME providers vending DME equipment. Constant audits and the PA Demo project have made it critical for DME companies to receive the correct paperwork from physicians prescribing DME. Medicare and Medicare contractors reporting the outcomes of the PA Demo, Pre-Payment, Post-payment and ZPIC audits consistently report denial rates greater than 50 percent.

“In light of the PA Demo expansion to 12 additional states, and the likelihood that DME items beyond power mobility will be included in the future, online standardization and automation of documentation is the way forward,” Gregory said. “Next time a DME provider has to address incomplete face-to-face documentation from a referral source, they can now introduce them to a new way of successfully completing evaluations.”

For more information email info@dmeevalumate.com or call 800-986-9368.

 

 

 

 

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