Building a Sustainable and Patient-Centered DME Program [AAOE DME Series Session 1

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The webinar introduced a new AAOE series on building and sustaining a patient-centered DME program for orthopedic practices. Alec Johnson led the discussion, emphasizing that DME should be viewed as a core service line that supports both patient care and practice revenue. He stressed that successful programs require strong clinical alignment, standardized protocols, defined workflows, inventory management, compliance, clear documentation, and strong patient education.<br /><br />A key theme was the patient journey: from identifying need and obtaining orders, to benefit verification, authorization, dispensing, billing, and follow-up. Alec noted that every handoff can either improve the experience or create friction, so ownership of each step must be clear. He also highlighted the importance of provider engagement and ongoing communication to keep protocols aligned with real-world practice patterns.<br /><br />The sponsor, Select Ortho, described its DME management platform, which combines staffing, technology, supply chain oversight, and revenue cycle support to reduce operational burden and improve profitability. The session closed by previewing future webinars on measuring, expanding, and scaling DME programs.

Keywords

patient-centered DME

orthopedic practices

DME program

clinical alignment

inventory management

revenue cycle support

patient education