Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/59015
46 Vendors A recent partnership between Nova Medical Products, Walgreens and the ALS Association Greater Chicago Chapter helped to raise awareness of ALS and to raise $19,000 for the association's efforts. Scott Deis, a vice president at Nova, spearheaded a National ALS Awareness Campaign WWW.HMENEWS.COM / APRIL 2012 / HME NEWS GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE via an ad in a Walgreens insert. The ad reached 53 million households, and the return on the ads was earmarked for the ALS Association Greater Chicago Chapter. "What Scott did is really a call to arms for the whole HME industry," says Maryilene Blondell, director of development for the ALS Association Greater Chicago Chapter. "Get involved. Make a change. Get out of your comfort zone. He did all of those and we are so grateful." Pictured from left to right: Blondell; Deis; Diane Epstein, Walgreens.com; and Jeffrey Mikos, Walgreens.com. OXIMETRY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 45 precaution, I'm not taking a salary this year. Something's wrong with this picture." Stakeholders don't know the rationale behind the reimbursement cuts, espe- cially since a 27% cut to the physician fee schedule has never, to date, gone into effect, and other CPT codes in the Part B Physician Fee Schedule have remained stable. What's more: There's one more cut for overnight oximetry scheduled for 2013. AAA Medical is one of about 15 to 20 vendors that provide overnight oximetry. Like AAA Medical, most of those vendors are small companies. They're the ones feel- ing the pinch of the cuts the worst. "We had 22 employees and we've had to let six go," Hale said. "We're having to do the same amount of work with fewer peo- ple, which has affected our turnaround." Vendors like Decatur, Ala.-based Instant Diagnostic Systems (IDS) and Coral Springs, Fla.-based VirtuOx are larger companies that have been better able to take the cuts on the chin because of their automated processes and large volumes. "The first thing we did was to grow MEDTRADE BOOTH 636 Your Patients Deserve The Most Comfortable Name in Back Pain Relief through it," said Kyle Miko, co-founder and vice president of VirtuOx. "But due to reductions in reimbursement, we have had to lay off a lot of good staff and have had to automate their jobs." No one likes to see reimbursement cuts. That's why IDS and others are coordinat- ing meetings with CMS to discuss the cuts. "It certainly comes off the bottom line," said Mark Sorrells, president and CEO of IDS. "It makes this more of a marginal business." HME 2012 HCPCS Code L0627 The DIFFERENCE is in the DESIGN Patients love the innovative & patented design features: Non-restrictive allows for near total mobility Virtually invisible under clothing Bi-Lateral Opposing forces relive back pain Lumbar Dome improves and supports posture Adjustable straps - two sizes fit most patients Ask us about our 6 proven marketing tips! Free marketing materials! ORDER YOURS TODAY! 888.978.7999 www.thebioback.com MEDTRADE BOOTH 757 Your PATIENTS want back pain relief NOW! Simply let all your patients know you now offer this innovative and reimbursed solution to low back pain. They'll Thank You For It! NORTH AMERICAN SLEEP DISORDERED BREATHING PRODUCT DIFFERENTIATION EXCELLENCE AWARD Thank You! We are proud to be recognized by global leader Frost & Sullivan with the coveted Best Practices Award for 2012. In whatever language you speak. Transcend is changing the game in sleep apnea therapy. COMPLIANCE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 45 metrics," he said. "We complement their solutions. We take their data and run our program on top of it." By embracing U-Sleep, manufacturers For more information, visit us online at: www.MyTranscend.com MEDTRADE BOOTH 446 boost the data mining and reporting capa- bilities of their devices, making them more attractive to providers, says Robin Randolph, marketing manager, North America, at Fisher & Paykel. "We've all been working toward this level of sophistication, but no one has accom- plished it yet," she said. "The more ways you can provide data easily, the better." Umbian charges providers, based on vol- ume, a one-time set-up fee per patient, plus a monthly access fee. In the near future, it plans to expand U-Sleep by allowing access via mobile apps, and to extend the company's reach into other markets, Sodhi said. HME