SEE WHAT’S HAPPENING AT HEARTLAND

The VGM Journey takes place at VGM's Main Campus and is led by trained journey guides. It represents the spirit and culture of VGM Group, presented through the scope of our five purposes for doing business:
• Empower employee owners to impact the business
• Give back to the communities we serve
• Simplify the complexities of doing business
• Support healthcare professionals
• Improve patients’ quality of life

Register HERE!

On John Deere factory tours, you get a behind-the-scenes look at some of the most modern and efficient factories in the world. See how all the pieces come together on these interesting and informative factory tours. Look at how we’ve built our reputation for unmatched quality."

Irv Warren Memorial Golf Tournament. 18-hole, 4-person best-shot format in groups of 8-somes, golf tournament to network with vendors and attendees.   Pre-registration is required and there is an additional fee.

Thank you for your interest in joining us for golf. Due to difficulties in securing rental clubs over the last few years, we would like to encourage you to bring your own clubs or rent a set through www.clublender.com or www.clubhub.com. 

If that is not an option, please reach out to heather.johnson@vgm.com and she will work to track down a set for you.

Exhibitors may begin moving in equipment and booth items.

Join us for a unique yoga experience in the heart of Iowa.  You'll practice yoga for 45 minutes in our historic family barn, surrounded by farm animals and rustic charm.  Afterward, treat yourself to a delicious homemade ice cream sandwich on our patio, where you can meet Leanoard the Llama and our adorable mini goats.

Pre-registration is required and there is an additional fee.

On John Deere factory tours, you get a behind-the-scenes look at some of the most modern and efficient factories in the world. See how all the pieces come together on these interesting and informative factory tours. Look at how we’ve built our reputation for unmatched quality."

Join us for a unique yoga experience in the heart of Iowa.  You'll practice yoga for 45 minutes in our historic family barn, surrounded by farm animals and rustic charm.  Afterward, treat yourself to a delicious homemade ice cream sandwich on our patio, where you can meet Leanoard the Llama and our adorable mini goats.

Pre-registration is required and there is an additional fee.

Kayaking and Paddleboarding local lake - Kayaks, paddles, and lifejackets are included. Perfect for beginners and experts as this is a no-wake lake. Guests can enjoy an assortment of refreshments and snacks. Paddleboard Yoga is also available.

Pre-registration is required and there is an additional fee.

First time at Heartland Conference? You won't want to miss this social to network with other first-timers and key industry leaders. 

The kick-off to Heartland Conference is in a NEW location this year! Join us on the Plaza for fun, networking, good food, drinks, and music! Don’t worry, transportation will get you to the right spot!

In the inaugural session of Heartland Conference 2024, we will explore the evolving landscape of the post-acute homecare industry. This session offers a unique opportunity to meet our new leadership team, understand their perspectives, and discuss strategies for adapting to the upcoming changes in our field. Together, we'll embark on a journey towards a future equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary for success in the ever-changing world of home healthcare. 

This session will cover the value of using data that identifies combinations of high risk factors to prioritize care. Using AI and predictive data can provide the RT with specific instructions and interventions that will have the greatest impact on admission outcomes. Ongoing AI data interventions can reinforce patient satisfaction and demonstrate to physicians and payors the impact of high touch services by the home RT.

In a recent survey conducted by  McKinsey, they found that at the root of why employees leave organizations, poor communication ranked high. That means your ability to retain skilled and valuable employees, i.e., your bottom line, can be directly tied to how well we communicate. Most of us think we do it well… we don’t.

Good Communication Skills are essential. Being an effective communicator takes real skill. Communication skills have to be developed, honed and added to on an on-going basis. They are the heart of your interpersonal skills and the greater your awareness of how it all works, the more effective your communication will be.  To be effective in business, you have to communicate well. To be a good manager, you have to communicate exceptionally well.

We could write a book about the importance of communication key skills, but for now, we will start with some essentials for becoming a more effective communicator.

Navigating the accreditation process for DMEPOS facilities, whether for initial accreditation or reaccreditation, can be a daunting task. This session, led by an expert in the field, aims to demystify the process and reduce the stress associated with it. Attendees will gain a deep understanding of how to effectively prepare for a site survey. The session will highlight deficiencies commonly identified by BOC’s national surveyor team and provide strategies to address and avoid these pitfalls. The goal is to transform the accreditation survey from a challenging obstacle into a routine, manageable process. This presentation will equip DMEPOS/HME staff, business owners, operations managers, and compliance personnel with practical, real-world strategies and examples to help them seamlessly navigate their next accreditation survey.

Beginning in the fall of 2024, we will all be bombarded once again with Medicare Part C commercials (not affiliated with any government agency) soliciting unsuspecting beneficiaries to their for-profit insurance plans. They disguise themselves as straight Medicare, but they are not and routinely deny medically necessary equipment and supplies with no conscience and it's getting worse. In this session, the speakers will discuss the best practices to deal with these plans from up-front beneficiary education, policy requirements, delay tactics, denials of medically necessary items, the appeals labyrinth, and contracts.

Alternative drive controls for complex power wheelchairs have evolved significantly over the last two decades. With the growing number of persons diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and other progressive neurodegenerative diseases, innovation in assistive technologies continues to be a focus worldwide to keep individuals mobile and connected in their homes and communities. During this session, attendees will learn various drive and switch control methods for persons with ALS. 

During our talk you will learn how to increase your revenue through your existing patient base. By leveraging software tools and patient engagement tools, you will be able to bring in more money for your business. This will result in better business management and more time to care for patients.

Thinking about diversifying your business in wound care? Learn about the five steps to breaking into the wound care space. We will start from scratch with building the logistics of your program focusing on LCD/PA to building out a formulary. We will close with how to take your wound care program to market by focusing on what is really important to your referral sources.

Join us to learn how you can remain compliant with Medicare and ABC standards throughout the year. Learn best business practices to keep your facility and staff on the top of their game and ready for any challenges. We’ll also discuss how ABC’s extensive set of accreditation resources will help you perform at your best.

Explore the pivotal role of compliance at the core of operational excellence. This presentation outlines how organizations can craft solids workflows that prioritize both efficiency and adherence to compliance standards for superior patient care.

The Reasonable Useful Life (RUL) of CRT is commonly documented in policy to be five years. The cost of CRT devices and replacement parts is defined by local and national fee schedules. This session will share a variety of research findings that investigated the average life-cost of operating various types of CRT wheelchairs. Analyses have been performed using various real-world data registries including the FMA/UDS, Wheelchair Repair Registry, insurance claims data, connected wheelchair data, and supplier generated data. This information will serve to inform the current landscape of CRT repair issues and legislative efforts that attempt to mitigate issues. Strategies for improved service and payment will also be discussed that can inform provider, consumer, policy, and clinician stakeholder groups.

This 50-minute presentation will address five novel and up-to-date considerations for pediatric adaptive standing. Specifically, active participation in the sit-to-stand transfer, standing as a physical activity, creating opportunities for social engagement and participation in standing, plus hip abduction positioning and contracture management. Current evidence supporting these interventions will be presented along with case examples to illustrate applications of these concepts. A 10-minute segment for discussion, Q&A, will conclude the session.

In today’s market conditions, it has become increasingly difficult to get all of the payer contracts you want and/or need to serve your clients. Payers are becoming more selective and strategic regarding who they partner with to provide care for their members. For starters, there are more individual payers and plan types than we have historically seen. Even if you are able to identify and contact all of them, many payers narrow and close provider networks. For those with whom you can engage in contracting conversations, you may encounter other roadblocks, such as inadequate fee schedules, excessive requirements, administrative burden, etc. In this panel discussion, we will discuss what providers currently are or should be doing to be more creative and innovative with their payer contracting efforts. We will discuss topics such as alternative payment models, value-based contracting, capitation, payer operational tips, etc. You won’t want to miss this timely dialogue moderated by Miriam Lieber, featuring experienced industry experts and insightful payer and provider panelists.

Panelists:

• Craig Douglas, VP of Payer and Member Relations at VGM & Associates
• James Russell, VP of Operations at Pediatric Home Service
• Sharon Pruitt, Solutions Management Director, DMEPOS at Carelon Medical Benefits Management

Exhibitors may begin moving in equipment and booth items.

RESNA and the DMERT Group are launching a new program for rehab technicians who have achieved Level 2 DMERT Certification, a pathway to the ATP Certification. This two-year program will prepare rehab technicians to not only take the ATP exam, but learn the leadership and soft skills needed to work with consumers, their families, and caregivers.

Does your DME provide a full breadth of products and services, yet your business struggles to grow?  Learn more about promoting your whole business, establishing strategic referral services, in-store and out-of-store promotions and more.

A review of victories in 2023 and a discussion of the challenges for 2024. The Government Guys will give you the information you need to be an advocate for your business, your patients, and your industry.

This panel will bring Parachute HME provider partners together with Parachute Health industry experts to discuss how a true digital transformation goes beyond simple ePrescribe and focuses on leveraging technology to drive change across both HME provider organizations and their referral networks. Based on Parachute Health’s innovative approach, this session delves into how tailored solution design and activation strategies can significantly enhance the utilization of digital ordering within home medical equipment provider networks. Participants will gain valuable insights into optimizing efficiency, boosting digital order volume, and leveraging digital tools to strengthen referral source engagement.

Panelists:

• Whitney Hyde, Director of Operations at Home Medical Products/VieMed
• David Siegel, Chief Executive Officer at Nationwide Medical, Inc.

Mechanical ventilation in the home -- especially invasive ventilation -- has been thought to be complex. Many have had liability concerns and concerns that it could jeopardize their accreditation. This presentation will provide a step-by-step approach to providing ventilation in the home that meets the requirements.

This presentation will focus on changes to the law and best practices for defending a sampling and extrapolation by an auditor and designing a self-audit. The focus will be on defending UPIC, OIG, and MAO audits and investigations.

In today's fast-paced world, quality sleep has become a precious commodity. This session is designed to provide participants with comprehensive knowledge and practical strategies to optimize their sleep experience. From understanding the importance of sleep to creating a safe and healthy sleep environment, this course offers invaluable insights for individuals seeking to enhance their overall wellbeing. Participants will delve into the fascinating science behind sleep, exploring the various stages, sleep cycles, and their impact on mental and physical health. They will learn how sleep deprivation can lead to a range of issues, such as impaired cognitive function, weakened immune system, and increased risk of accidents. Armed with this understanding, participants will uncover evidence-based techniques to establish healthy sleep habits that will improve their overall quality of life.

In today’s dynamic work environment, addressing mental health is crucial. Join us for an insightful session led by Sara Laures, where we’ll explore strategies to foster a supportive workplace culture. Sara, an experienced executive, will delve into practical approaches for promoting employee well-being, reducing stigma, and creating an inclusive environment. Whether you’re an HR professional, manager, or team member, this session will equip you with actionable insights to navigate mental health challenges effectively.

This presentation will explore strategies for enhancing physician billings, specifically focusing on women’s incontinence products. Attendees will learn how to leverage innovative approaches to increase revenue from patient encounters and diagnostic treatments. We’ll discuss opportunities beyond traditional prescriptions, emphasizing financial value for referring physicians.

To ensure effective airway clearance therapy, it's crucial to choose a treatment that the patient can tolerate and maintain at home. Oscillating lung expansion (OLE) therapy is an innovative internal therapy that may be a better option for some patients compared to an external high frequency chest wall oscillation (HFCWO) therapy. OLE therapy provides lung expansion using a set expiratory pressure to increase forced residual capacity, which can increase ventilation and open closed or blocked airways. OLE therapy also provides high-frequency oscillation where the system will vary the airflow to a set peak pressure to break up and thin mucus deep in the lungs. Learn more about OLE therapy and how it compares to other airway clearance therapies in this presentation.

Seat elevation became a covered benefit on May 16, 2023, and since then there have been several clarifications and updates. But none as big as the one that was announced in Spring 2024 including new codes, allowables, and documentation requirements. In this session attendees will learn all the updated information including proper base code selection, upgraded electronics, retrofitting documentation, and billing for this life-changing accessory. We will also discuss how to address Part C Plans that won't recognize coverage for seat elevation.

In this presentation, we'll dive into the current state of the DME industry, including the strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, we'll discuss the external environment and the opportunities and threats is poses. This all culminates to an analysis of what the future of our industry might look like and how DME providers should prepare themselves for an evolving environment.

During this presentation, we will take a deeper dive into what an 'Amazon-like' experience could look like for resupply and how it affects DME's. We'll discuss how automation supports moving orders fast and convenient which in turn makes it easier for your customers to reorder what they need. We’ll also speak to how DME’s compete in this market and how insight to data can expose inefficiencies which in turn allows you to stay compliant and doing more business.

20% of patients treated for breast cancer experience lymphedema. In this session you’ll learn what type of cancer treatment most commonly leads to lymphedema and when it is most likely to develop. Mastectomy fitters will also learn the signs to look for when working with patients. The stages of lymphedema will also be explained, along with education on the best treatments for each stage.

Sensor technology on wheelchairs has garnered a lot of interest in the last few years, with more and more users expecting this technology to become a standard feature on their wheelchairs. This session will be presented by Dr. Pooja Viswanathan (inventor of the Braze Blind Spot Sensors after over a decade of research on “smart” wheelchairs), Terrence Ho (caregiver), and Rigena Osborne (ATP). Blind spot sensor technology is currently being funded across the country and creating new opportunities for safe and independent mobility. The presenters will highlight case studies where these sensors have benefited clients by increasing their independence and participation. The session will include ATP, technician, and caregiver perspectives regarding funding and healthcare savings, installation, and more. The speakers will present a live demo and share results from a third-party peer-reviewed publication that demonstrate the increase in wheelchair users' spatial awareness when using blind spot sensors. Finally, a moderated discussion will be held to discuss clinical considerations, advantages/disadvantages of blind spot sensors vs. other "smart" wheelchair technology, and future directions.

This workshop session will walk the HME provider through the process of preparing for a payer negotiation meeting. Will focus on 4 key areas: 1. Pre-negotiation homework. 2. Preparing the presentation. 3. Negotiation tips. 4. Resources to facilitate the prep and negotiation. The goal at end of presentation will be to build their own story and deck to use for their upcoming payer negotiations.

Join this powerful and entertaining panel of female leaders including 2023 HME Woman of the Year award winner and VGM's top female executives for their perspectives on leadership. We'll cover everything from work-life balance to exuding confidence in the board room.

Panelists: 

• Barb Anderson, Chief Financial Officer at VGM Group, Inc.
• Christa Miehe, President of Corporate Communications & Events at VGM Group, Inc.
• Dana McLaughlin, President at Medical Service Company 
• Lindy Tentinger, President at VGM & Associates
• Sara Laures, Chief People Officer at VGM Group, Inc.

Potential change has been on the horizon in relationship to standing power mobility. While standing power mobility is not a new technology, it has been viewed as not medically necessary by CMS and many private insurances as well. In May of 2023, CMS heard our evidence on the support of seat elevation and accepted coverage as a power seat function, but where are we on the standing evidence that was submitted? In this session we will discuss the history of the NCD request, what has been done in the meantime, as well as where we stand on standing.

Every year, the Presidential Budget invests billions of dollars in funding to the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control program, with an expected triple return on that investment to program integrity functions. Audits are back in full force, with HME suppliers often experiencing multiple audits occurring at the same time from different entities. Of even more concern is the rise in UPIC audit activity, which can have devastating impacts on a business. Program integrity functions also extend to provider enrollment, with revocations and deactivations becoming frequent occurrences. Protecting your business and your bottom line means learning what can trigger an audit and identifying risk areas in your organization. Did you know you already have this information available to you? In this session, Kelly will explain how you can utilize your own data to not only prepare for audits, but to protect your business when faced with audits or provider enrollment threats.

The integration of lymphedema management and compression garments into a DMEPOS practice represents a significant opportunity for both patient care improvement/access and business growth. This session will provide a comprehensive overview of the operational and clinical aspects of incorporating lymphedema and compression therapy into a DMEPOS practice. Participants will learn about regulations in the Lymphedema Care Act, coverage criteria, and potential opportunities to address forgotten patient populations. Key topics will include: understanding lymphedema and its impact on patients, understanding the CMS criteria to dispense these products and get reimbursed, and logistics of incorporating these products into your existing offerings. The session will also address the new product category, high-level reimbursement, and strategies for navigating insurance processes. Attendees will leave the session equipped with the knowledge to successfully integrate lymphedema and compression garments into their DME practice.

The U.S. Rehab ATP Academy is designed to optimize educational growth and build skill sets
that support the future of our members, healthcare professionals, and the complex rehab
technology (CRT) industry. The Academy includes educational courses to prepare candidates for
the RESNA ATP exam. It will also offer an apprenticeship program as the one-stop source to
connect individuals with experienced technicians, ATPs and clinicians. During this course,
attendees will hear about the U.S. Rehab Academy's current program developments that align
with the RESNA 2022 ATP exam redesign.

Join us for an exciting and dynamic networking event, "Community Connections: Speed Networking in the Heartland," where we bring together passionate individuals from diverse backgrounds to foster meaningful connections and explore new opportunities and ideas. In a series of structured, high-energy networking rounds, you'll have the chance to make multiple meaningful connections in a short amount of time. Engage in lively discussions, exchange ideas, and empower one another with knowledge, skills, and support. This session is a platform to connect, learn, and grow together.

Understanding the the use of AI to improve PAP Adherance

If you were to wave a magic wand and make your mastectomy boutique the most wonderful experience for your patients, what would it look like?  Regardless of where you’re starting from -- a start-up boutique or a seasoned veteran -- this session will walk through the patient experience and provide take-aways for you to create your own ‘next level mastectomy boutique.’

The Parachute Health team will host a panel of HME provider partners to discuss key problems that providers face when fulfilling resupply orders, and the features of digital signature requests that can delight referral sources and lead to faster fulfilled orders and patient care.

Panelists: 

• Tom Doubek - Doubek Medical Supply
• Andy Smith - Brightree
• Sara Cruz - Nationwide Medical Supply

Throughout the lifespan, the needs of wheeled mobility consumers change. Growth, weight gain, loss of function due to progressive diagnosis, age, and secondary conditions can all dictate the need for different styles of equipment. While some of these changes require minimal adjustments to or variations of equipment, others require transition into new categories of mobility devices. This session focuses on the application of the physical and mobility assessment findings to the prescription of a powered mobility device. This encompasses add-on power units to power wheelchairs and mobility bases with power repositioning seat components. There are many factors to consider for each individual consumer to select the most appropriate type of mobility device. The pros and cons of various drive wheel configurations (front, mid, and rear-wheel drive) and base options will be presented. This session examines several scenarios utilizing case studies to highlight the physiologic, functional, and psychological factors as well as the funding challenges which consumers may encounter. Consideration of these factors can improve the prescription and acceptance of new mobility devices.

Traditionally, DME suppliers only needed to focus on billing traditional Medicare. This is no longer the case. Today, approximately 50% of Medicare beneficiaries have signed up with Medicare Advantage Plans (MAPs), and this percentage is increasing. This program will focus on the most important issues facing DME suppliers as they navigate the managed care space: (i) existing laws governing managed care; (ii) scrutiny and investigations of MAPs; (iii) anticipated legislation focused on MAPs; (iv) steps to increase the chances of securing a MAP contract; (v) subcontracting, including the utilization of offshore companies; (vi) what happens to a MAP contract in a stock vs. asset sale; and (vii) the most important provisions of a contract.

Exhibit Hall Grand Opening!

Back by popular demand...Connections and Coasters! Thrill seekers and enjoy all of the rides they want, and the rest of us can watch! Food, networking, and fun!

As an HME provider, many of you have encountered payer challenges in your own life. For most of you, it helps lend credibility and perspective to the notion of taking care of the patient and fighting to get paid for what you are owed. The same is true for many of us! Hear from Ronda and Miriam on their real-life payer experiences and how they contended with payers’ reluctance to cover and pay for their medically necessary care. This session is designed to offer lessons learned and how to get what you need in a contentious payer environment.

It is a challenging time for HME providers. As labor costs rise and reimbursements fall, you might have little time to focus on the metrics that matter. Join Kim Cuce with the VGM Group for a discussion on the key metrics / performance indicators (KPIs) crucial to your business, how to calculate them, and what influences them. These KPI’s include days sales outstanding (DSO), 90+ A/R balance, denial rate, write-off rate, open orders, and held revenue.

Collecting from patients can be tricky, especially if trying to collect after the point of service. Are you tired of writing off patient balances due to non-payment? Is your staff allowing your patients to ‘call the shots’ when it comes to paying their bills? It’s time to stop the patient collections madness! Collecting from your patients shouldn’t be that hard, nor does it have to be. While patient out-of-pocket costs have tripled in the last ten years, more debt is walking out of the door. In this interactive session we will examine better patient collection practices utilizing tools and technology to engage the patient at the time of service instead of billing and chasing later. Expect to walk away with simple, yet effective ways to collect better and faster without utilizing staff members, yet still providing the quality of care you can stand behind.

We will provide a special focus on community engagement strategies. The aim is to equip stores with practical insights to foster strong connections with their local communities by empowering their efforts to support, engage, and interact with their customers beyond just retail. In this session, Dana Donofree will share her expertise in community engagement, drawn from her experience in founding and leading AnaOno Intimates. Participants will gain valuable insights into creating meaningful connections with customers, promoting inclusivity, and establishing their stores as community hubs.

Many of us work in a multidisciplinary team. Many clients work with team members with varied skills and tools to share. When considering what is needed to be an effective ATP, we know a generalized knowledge of ALL AT is best. What lies in YOUR scope of practice? What are your special skills? We cannot know it all, but this session will help you to better understand concepts surrounding Augmentative and Alternate Communication (AAC) and effective feature matching. I hope this information will help you ask really good questions for your clients and consider all AT when problem solving and advocating for your clients.

Panel discussion with DME operations and clinical managers on utilizing advanced technology to enhance operating efficiency and as a patient management resource.

Panelists:

• Ed Marlowe, Director at UNC Home Care Specialists
• Mike Current, Supervisor at Mercy Health Home Medical

Providers have the opportunity to engage in a dynamic speed networking event tailored for connecting with manufacturers and service partners.This fast-paced session allows participants to efficiently establish new connections, explore potential collaborations, and exchange valuable insights within the healthcare industry. With structured time slots and facilitated introductions, attendees can maximize their networking efforts and forge mutually beneficial relationships to drive innovation and growth

This presentation will provide an audit update of what we have seen thus far in 2024 and what we anticipate seeing for the remainder of the year related to audit activity. It will provide details on where oversight entities are focusing their audit efforts, including both government and managed care payers as well as information related to what suppliers can do to mitigate their audit risk. It will also highlight trends and expectations so suppliers are aware of what they can anticipate.

According to recent estimates, more than 15 million cancer survivors are living in the U.S. today. This number is expected to grow to 20 million by the year 2026. Post-treatment survivorship services are a critical component of a comprehensive cancer program. Learn how cancer survivorship services can improve health, wellness, and quality of life and how mastectomy fitters can help direct patients back to the resources they need. 

Do you think before you speak? Communication can be challenging at the best of times, and especially when interacting with clients/patients/customers. We may cause offense or facilitate engagement, depending upon the words we use. Spend time with a wheelchair rider, clinician, and mother, discussing how language matters and ways to expand communication skills related to disability. Explore current models and thoughts on evolution of language about disability. Gain confidence and build relationships in everyday interactions with people who are more than their disability!

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transcended the realm of buzzwords and holds immense potential for the HME industry. In this engaging panel discussion, our experts will delve into the practical applications of AI, demystifying its impact on clinical processes, workflow optimization, and automation.

Panelists: 

• Justin Smith, Senior Manager of Innovation at Direct Supply
• Saleem Shah, President at New Hampshire Medical Supply
• Scott Hagberg, Application & Automation Architect at VGM Group, Inc.
• Shane Rogan, VP of Analytics at VGM Fulfillment

Eagle-eyed reimbursement experts Ronda Buhrmester of VGM & Associates and Dan Fedor of VGM’s U.S. Rehab review some of the most horrific claim denials as they assemble the pieces left behind to determine the culprit. They will, along with the witnesses (the attendees), re-create the scene of the prior authorization/claim submission and investigate each denial to determine if it was an innocent error, or intentional, or something even darker. Muhahahaha! This is an interactive session where the attendees will participate during the investigation of some of the most hair-raising denials (claim submission, prior authorization, audits). We will uncover what went horribly wrong from the intent of the policy to that fateful day of the denial. You are probably asking yourself “what will I gain from this session?” There will be several takeaways. One is identifying the motive of the contractors when implementing medical policies into prior authorization and processing guidelines. Another takeaway will be learning how to conduct a detailed analysis of the evidence (denial) and trace it back to the policy to determine what went wrong with the objective to resurrect the current denial(s) and implement procedures to reduce (eliminate) the chance of these horrible denials in the future. If you have any unsolved cases of your own, bring them to be analyzed by the forensic team (remember no PHI). Recently recruited, Kim Cuce, will assist Ronda and Dan with these investigations.

Many power wheelchair drivers face a variety of issues related to safety, efficiency, and accessibility (accessibility in the home and community as well as accessibility to personal health information) as a result of impaired motor control, visual deficits, impaired reaction time, inattention, etc. We will address/discuss the continuum of currently available smart technology that can be incorporated into the power wheelchair to address these issues and improve power wheelchair driver safety, confidence, and independence.

Medicare and other insurances that follow Medicare requires a specialty wheelchair evaluation to be performed by an LCMP (usually a PT or OT) and an ATP assessment for complex rehab wheelchairs (K0835-K0864, K0005, and E1161). The LCMP may not have a financial relationship with the wheelchair supplier and the wheelchair supplier must employee the ATP. So, where is the line of what each is expected and compliant to document including with telehealth? The Medicare Contractors as well as APTA and AOTA have weighed in and put the line in the sand. In this session, Kyle Walker, Vice President of Rehab at Reliable Medical will engage with a panel of speakers to discuss the The FINE Line from various perspectives and outline the ethical and legal implications if it is crossed.

Panelists:

• Carmen DiGiovine, President at RESNA
• Cindi Petito, Business Owner at CHAS Consulting
• Dan Fedor, National Director of Reimbursement Complex Rehab at VGM U.S. Rehab
• Wayne Grau, Executive Director at NCART

What is the 'why' behind engagement and how does it impact all facets of an HME company? Whether you work remotely, hybrid, or in person, key considerations include how to keep staff and referral sources. What is trending today vis-a-vis employee success stories and engaged customers/referral sources? A discussion of engagement from the inside out will be part of this interactive and candid session on HME providers’ common pain paints and how to prevent them. Case studies about retention will be included in this timely dialogue about engagement and your bottom line profitability.

This session is designed to engage attendees and discuss topics related to the maternity space that incite interest in this category or address real-life challenges providers are facing each day. Our experts come from various roles to provide valuable insights for providers to consider when building their maternity business.

Panelists:

• Bruna Dos Santos, Director of Operations at Acelleron
• Jacque Ordner, BSN, RN, IBCLC, RLC, Lactation Consultant
• Jason Ivey, National Account Manager at Motif Medical

This session will discuss how to identify and treat bronchiectasis in your current COPD oxygen patients and how to improve adherence post-HFCWO setup through ongoing patient outreach.

As a business owner your goal is to make a profit. As a biller to the federal government, you must take more than just your bottom line into consideration. In today’s environment, it is essential that a supplier “do it right” and “make money.” Sound impossible? In this session, Kelly and Sarah will discuss the ways in which you can get the most of your AR, employees, and profit margins all while doing it the right way. Learn about documentation requirements and best practices for obtaining the documentation you need. Understand kickbacks and how to avoid them internally and with referral sources. Discover ways to train and motivate your staff so that they can work effectively and compliantly! In this session you will learn how to do it right to maximize your return and remain compliant. You can have it all!

Jeff Kessler, VGM Market Data Sales and Customer Service Representative, will moderate a panel focusing on communication between the HME/DME and their referral sources and what that looks like in today’s competitive healthcare landscape. It is crucial to have a well developed strategy for fostering and maintaining both new and existing relationships between you and the practitioners in your regions. A gifted Physician Liaison combined with a thoughtful business development strategy is the driving force behind referral growth. Join us for this panel discussion where experts will delve into the fundamentals of physician liaison strategy.

Panelists: 

• Autumn Kline, Sales and Marketing Manager at NuCara Home Medical

• Bryan Holder, Director of Sales at Lehan's Medical Equipment 

• Sean Denning BS, RRT, Director of Clinical Services at Corner Home Medical

Exhibit Hall

Imagine a world where: - Your customer service team never sleeps, providing 24/7 support and personalized recommendations thanks to AI-powered chatbots. - Inventory magically manages itself, with predictive analytics anticipating needs and optimizing stock levels. - Paperwork vanishes into thin air, replaced by automated data entry and personalized reports generated in real-time. - Customers feel understood and cared for, receiving educational materials, medication reminders, and product recommendations tailored to their unique needs. - Sales & marketing teams can create presentations and collateral tailored to specific customers, topics and products in seconds offering the highest degree of personalization. This isn't science fiction – it's the future powered by generative AI.

In recent years, DMEPOS Suppliers have gone from one contractor, the National Supplier Clearinghouse (NSC), managing all supplier enrollment functions to now learning how to navigate FIVE! While CMS may have intended this division of power as a way to streamline the enrollment process, it seems that the reality is the opposite. In this session we will explain who each of these contractors are and what role each plays within the supplier enrollment world. Our panel will discuss the importance of meeting supplier standards, maintaining appropriate accreditation guidelines, and understanding licensure requirements, as well as address common pitfalls that a supplier may encounter, and how to fix them.

Borrowing from the systematic approach to diagnosis taught to medical doctors, this presentation will give HME leaders a framework for evaluating the "pain" of working a referral from intake to scheduling. Particular attention will be paid to qualification, where the range of payers and rules makes operating from static, tribal knowledge difficult in such a dynamic environment. Participants will leave with the tools to create a "differential diagnosis" for referral management opportunities at their companies.

Ronda Buhrmester with VGM Government Relations will lead a panel that explores the latest advances in continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) and how your patients with diabetes can benefit from this technology. We will provide billing best practices and strategies for data mining CGM candidates from your existing patient database to help you grow your bottom line.

Panelists:

• Joe Ault, GEMCO
• Craig Douglas, VGM & Associates
• Collin Donoghue, ABCO Medical Supply
• Shawn McCoy, Eclipse Medical
• Ashley Brown, Brightree

Advocacy is a powerful action associated with nuanced feelings -- often either those of hope and excitement, or guilt and responsibility. As clinicians, we advocate every day for our patients’ change -- striving to facilitate positive, impactful change. Accordingly, our clinical actions support this by pursuing continuing education and skill improvement, we consistently demonstrate our commitment to our practice and profession. While many clinicians grow into experts by following this path, barriers and frustrations frequently encountered during practice often leads to frequent fatigue, and even burnout (Shin et al., 2022). Although it may appear contradictory on the surface, participating in advocacy activities start a ripple effect of internal change, spread to our patients, the organizations we work for, and even the broader healthcare system (Jeelani et al., 2019; Masselink et al., 2021; Masselink et al., 2022). The Clinician Task Force provides a platform for clinicians in seating and wheeled mobility to transform barriers and frustrations experienced in clinical practice into positive change. This session aims to address the reasons why engaging in advocacy is important, for our personal and professional benefit, describe how the Clinician Task Force has successfully engaged in advocacy in the past, and what this work looks like heading into the future.

Creating an Evolving Leader Program needs involvement from all levels and foundational principles to be in place. Hear through this case study how one program was created and how it was done, who it has affected, and what has been learned so far.

Exhibitors may begin moving their equipment out.

The Transparency in Coverage (TIC) legislation has been in place for a couple of years now, but the requirements for payers have been phased in slowly. For 2024, there are newly rolled out requirements for payers that will impact HME providers. Payers are now required to publish data regarding their contracts with providers. The rates you negotiated with a payer are now public, and so are the rates that your competitors negotiated with all of their payers. In this session we will look at the regulations, where the data is housed, who has access to it, and most importantly, how can it be used by patients, payers, providers, and other stakeholders.

Do you have set marketing initiatives with KPIs? If so, when is the last time that you checked how your marketing initiatives are performing. This session is not just Marketing 101; it's a roadmap to success specifically crafted for our members. We’ll delve into strategy on social media, website, and paid advertising to discover where your marketing dollars can create the most significant impact. Brace yourself for a revelation on how marketing, when made easy and swift, becomes the catalyst for increased traffic or marketing qualified leads. Additionally, a marketing startup guide will be presented, offering valuable recommendations on free or low-cost tools to build essential marketing assets.

There are many firmly held opinions about what factors most dramatically affect manual wheelchair propulsion efficiency. Which factors have the greatest impact and are most important to consider? Is it the weight of the chair? Is it the component selection? Like an automobile, is it the way it is tuned or set up that optimizes efficiency? Prescribing professionals must understand how people use their manual wheelchairs. They must also understand how wheelchairs actually work as a machine. Armed with this knowledge, the professional can make appropriate decisions to optimize efficiency while meeting the user's needs for support, stability, and function. This presentation will discuss factors commonly considered to be predictors of manual wheelchair propulsion efficiency. We will compare these factors in light of what current research suggests as being predictive and then provide some applicable conclusions to inform clinical practice.

“Be Who They Need” is a journey of self-reflection and provides a context to evaluate personal leadership motivation and values. The importance of positive, thoughtful leadership in healthcare has never been more relevant in today’s climate. The challenges that leaders face on a day-to-day basis can turn into fatigue and burnout. Maintaining and enhancing our employee’s work life starts with a deep dive into our own “leadership capital”, learning to create our own balance so that we may help those we serve and be who our people need us to be for them.

The improper reduction and waiver of copayments can lead to a number of legal problems for a DME supplier. It is relatively easy for a government enforcement agency...or a commercial insurer...or a whistleblower...to prove that a supplier is improperly reducing or waiving copayments. This program will discuss (i) how improperly reducing/waiving copayments can violate the federal anti-kickback statute, the federal beneficiary inducement statute, and the federal False Claims Act; (ii) the legal requirements that a supplier must follow when it reduces/waives a copayment; (iii) the steps that the supplier must follow in order to properly reduce/waive a copayment; (iv) a properly drafted Copayment Reduction/Waiver Policy; and (v) how a supplier can work with a charity to provide relief to patients.

Do you have a strong relationship with your bank? If not, why?  This session will discuss several services offered by banks and how those services can positively impact your business. We’ll discuss SBA lending, how and when this type of financing can be utilized.  Are there treasury management solutions that can help your business become more efficient?  We’ll discuss different finance products that banks offer which can enable your organization to operate at peak efficiency.  Lastly, we will discuss how you can leverage equipment financing to maximum your cash flow without negatively impacting your cash position.

Wheelchair repairs have been a hot issue in the past few years with a "Right to Repair" movement gaining some traction due to delays in the ability to have a wheelchair repaired. In this session you will learn some of the factors that have contributed to this issue and how to position your company to ensure repairs are accurate, timely, and profitable. The session will address tech and billing education, replacement during the five year reasonable useful life, and billing for maintenance and repairs (parts and labor).

"Lock Your Digital Door: Safeguarding Your Assets and Keeping Yourself Protected" not only addresses immediate cybersecurity concerns but also emphasizes the importance of future-proofing your digital defense. By advocating for proactive measures to prepare for future software spending and budgeting, ensuring that resources are allocated wisely to maintain robust cybersecurity protocols. Nick will outline the necessary protections HME businesses should have in place, emphasizing the role of comprehensive cybersecurity policies, employee training, and regular system audits. The session also provides recommendations on vetting out software, guiding you through a meticulous process to select and integrate secure solutions. Additionally, it explores the evolving landscape of future software tools, delving into the realms of AI and automation, empowering businesses to stay ahead of technological advancements and leverage innovative tools while maintaining a secure digital environment. Join Nick’s session to hear about what can happen if your HME is not locking its digital door and how you can start today!

This insightful presentation delves into strategies that can boost your collection rate and overall profitability. In an environment where efficiency and precision are paramount, staying ahead requires a comprehensive approach that encompasses employee training, data analysis, and strategic operational planning. A well-defined approach can make the difference between mediocrity and excellence. Unlock the power of data to drive informed decisions and identify strengths and weaknesses company-wide to optimize workflow, minimize claim denials, and maximize reimbursement.

Let’s discuss and break down the elephant in the room. Generations. Companies and teams are facing significant conflicts and hiring challenges in the current workforce. We have seen legal issues increase and organizations lose ground competitively due to an inability to close the generation gap. Outpace your competitors by embracing this new kind of diversity.

Dancing Through the Decades is a mega-sized blast from the past that will transport you on a dazzling whirlwind tour of the 1950s to the 1990s. Imagine stepping into a vibrant time machine where each decade comes alive with its unique flair and style! Put on your dancing shoes, channel your favorite era, and get ready to groove through time at the Dancing Through the Decades Farewell at the Farm! Don’t forget to pack your favorite decade attire!