Speakers and Courses for 2012

This presentation will discuss ABNs and why they were developed. Peggy Walker will apply example billing with correct modifiers to be used for free upgrades, as well as billable upgrades. The discussion will include proper modifier usage as well.

• Discuss the reasons for using an ABN.
• Discuss process for obtaining an ABN.
• Discuss the proper usage of modifiers for upgrades.
• Identify the use of ABNs for assigned and non-assigned claims.

This session will educate and inform the attendee about different types of assistive technology and electronic aids for daily living and will provide solutions and ideas for all life care situations.

• Identify switches, mounting and electronic aids for daily living.
• Identify easy and high-tech AT solutions.
• Identify the different types of ECU's for all life situations.
• Describe new EADL technology for the future.

This session will look into the exploding opportunity to add additional services and product lines to your existing DME/rehab business.

• Identify the diverse opportunities for revenue.
• Define new service offerings.
• Discuss upselling techniques.
• Define the marketplace and customer base.

This session will discuss Best Bath Systems' new technology of the Oasis. This personal hands-free portable seated shower system is the world's first fully automated system.

• Discuss the current challenges faced in assisted bathing.
• Discuss how the new technologies will greatly improve the assisted bathing process.
• Discuss how the new technology will improve the patient/nurse relationship, and reduce the liability of the caregiver.
• ..

This course will focus on helping you develop and implement an effective marketing/advertising program with long-lasting results. You will learn why terms such as “reach,” “frequency, “top-of-mind awareness” and others are extremely important to you. This program will show you how to get the results you want from your marketing and advertising program.

• Define the components of a successful advertising program.
• Establish the effectiveness of these components.
• Discuss how to use these components to enhance your business.
• Establish parameters to measure the success of your advertising program.

In this hands-on session, Safeway will conduct certification training for its line of bath accessibility products and discuss and demonstrate various renovation ideas to provide affordable accessibility for your customers. Included in the session is an overview of the installation and the sales and marketing of the Safeway Step and the Safeway Tub Door, innovative products that retrofit a customer’s existing bathtub to be more accessible. This session is a must see for remodelers, contractors, and HME dealers looking to add a high-profit margin service and provide innovative and cost-effective options for their customers.

• Identify the opportunity for a safe tube cut-out.
• Discuss the difference in product selection for a door or no-door situation
• Practice hands-on experience in the actual installation process.
• ..

Manage your office technology to avoid lost productivity from employees wasting time online. The posed question about losing $52,000 assumes 10 employees wasting 10 minutes per hour, so you could be throwing more or less than that away every year. In addition to the wasted time, spending non-productive hours online opens your business to an entirely new set of threats. Find out how some businesses are protecting themselves, and what you can do to regain control.

• Discuss how to keep your employees as productive as possible by blocking unnecessary sites.
• Discuss how to avoid viruses, spam, malware and other network traps.
• Explain how to avoid “data leakage” that could potentially cost you both time and money.
• Discuss how to protect your data to help maintain compliance with HIPAA regulations.

This presentation will cover the basic mobility assist equipment and documentation requirements. Also covered will be how to process and follow up on billing mobility assist equipment items.

• Identify the proper documentation needed for basic manual wheelchairs.
• Explain the difference between modifiers needed for capped rental versus purchase items.
• Identify simple processes for obtaining additional documentation.
• Explain the basic coverage for K0001 through K0009 manual wheelchairs.

The home medical bed business is often considered the most basic of the home medical equipment products and services, yet it typically serves a medically complex and often fragile patient population. Bed design, proper use, provider protocol, patient/caregiver training, clinical and safety understanding, and managing risk are all elements of a quality home bed program. This presentation will focus on three key areas critical to operating a successful, safe, and operationally sound home bed program.

• Discuss entrapment and other injury risks associated with the use of hospital bed systems.
• Explain FDA guidance on hospital bed design including use with rails and other accessories.
• Describe the provider’s responsibility regarding patient safety, entrapment and other injury risks associated the use of hospital beds.
• Describe usable techniques and strategies to reduce the risk of injury associated with the provision of hospital beds.

Does marketing your website make you feel like Dorothy trying to navigate through Oz? This presentation will lead you straight down the yellow brick road using optimized paid and organic search marketing, search-friendly content and an engaging social media presence. Reach your Emerald City where the very users looking for your unique services can easily find you and explore your website. We’ll also pull back the wizard’s curtain to reveal the tricks of SEO, SEM and SMO for increased traffic and revenues on your website.

• Describe how to make your site more attractive to Google and major search engines.
• Build your social media accounts.
• Optimize your social media accounts.
• Optimize and market your site.

What is Workflow / BPM? Learn how lean processes and workflow create efficiencies and what electronic workflow can do for your business. See how easy it is to get started managing your business processes, optimizing your processes and tracking those processes with powerful yet simple tools.

• Explain how to manage and control your business processes?
• Identify the business rules that make up the complete process needed to run your business from human resources, to purchasing to accounts payable, to customer service and billing.
• Explain how Business Process Management (BPM) can help your business.
• Describe how to empower your staff to make decisions based on rules without interrupting you or other managers.

This seminar is a hands-on workshop that covers the Medicare billing process from start to finish. Basic billing rules for all DME, as well as how to work through a denied claim will be discussed. The effective use of ABNs, how to bill for repairs, and the proper documentation requirements for mobility assist equipment will be reviewed. Fraud and abuse issues will be addressed, as will current medical policy updates.

• Explain proper Medicare billing procedures for all DME and repairs.
• Identify medical policy updates and changes.
• Explain documentation requirements for mobility assist equipment.
• Explain proper follow-up procedures when receiving a denied or rejected claim.

This program is designed to help the HME provider better understand provisions within the Affordable Care Act that impact the hospitals they work with. Understanding these provisions leads the way toward modeling an HME operation in a way that maximizes value to the hospital, and ensures a more strategic partnership with one of your largest referral sources. This session will provide the information necessary to put you in position to shape your operation in a way that can maximize your referrals.

• Discuss ACA hospital payment initiatives.
• Identify the legal challenges.
• Explain how to maximize HME value to the hospital.
• Create some ideas for bringing value.

This session will bring together owners who all have a major vested interest in the success and survival of their company.

• Recite a list of key strategies for survival turbulent business times.
• Identify strategies that have "worked" in creating a smooth business operation.
• Define key preparation strategies for handling impending business storms.
• Identity what experience teaches the long-term business owner.

Learn how to create and implement the marketing and advertising components on a limited budget that will best generate cash sales in your market. Wendell Martens will discuss how to use the right incentives in your marketing and advertising to generate patient and customer awareness and response. Also discussed will be how to best deliver your message through a 4-tier marketing plan that includes up to a 12-month schedule to increase public awareness and generate sales. The proven components discussed have generated $300,000 to $850,000 in annual sales for the presenter’s company locations.

• Use the right incentives to create a sense of urgency for your patients and customers to respond to your advertising.
• Select the right combination of marketing and advertising components that will create the highest contact frequency with your patients and customers.
• Divide your marketing and advertising plan into four tiers to generate the highest patient/customer response.
• Develop and implement a 12-month marketing schedule that will best increase public awareness and generate sales.

In this session, participants will understand why choosing the appropriate mask can overcome the challenges of maintaining compliance to PAP therapy with the obstructive sleep apnea patient.

• Explain the clinical value of the interfaces.
• Explain how to promote the use of the right mask for the right patient.
• Explain how to provide a hands-on experience with the masks for the respiratory therapist.
• Explain how to increase revenue in the patient interface segment.

If you’re a complex rehab technology (CRT) provider, you need to stay current on the legislative and regulatory issues that impact your business. This session will supply that information on both a federal and state level. Topics will include the Medicare Separate Benefit Category, Medicaid matters, and other important initiatives and trends. We’ll also review the latest tools available to promote access to CRT with policy makers and payers and how to use them effectively.

• Discuss the latest regarding the Medicare Separate Benefit Category and other federal issues.
• Identify the latest Medicaid issues, trends, and activities.
• Discuss what lies ahead in the world of CRT that affects providers.
• Explain how to become active in protecting CRT access on federal and state levels and the resources available to help.

Today’s DME supplier needs to be an expert at managing compliance with many things, from changing regulations to ongoing accreditation. Review the most problematic requirements suppliers face and learn ways to manage them proactively.

• Discuss the latest updates affecting the supplier’s business, including audit trends, status of PECOS and current NSC activity.
• Discuss the ongoing changes to the regulatory requirements, from the Supplier Standards to the PIM.
• List the top 10 deficiencies found on survey, regardless of the accreditor and understand how to successfully prevent them.
• Identify the key items that must be performed daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly to maintain regulatory requirements.

This session is about seizing the power of your customer service team. Learn the latest skills and techniques to strengthen existing referral source and patient relationships, provide additional value with confidence, and close more business at higher margins.

• Explain how to shift from a reactive service mindset to a customer resource mindset.
• Identify how to deal with the “It's Not My Job” attitude when it comes to selling versus servicing.
• Explain how to comfortably transition from servicing the call to how you make their lives even easier with additional services.
• Describe how to make the entire upselling process easy, effortless and never pressured.

The provider outreach and education staff from the DME Medicare Administrative Contractors and the National Supplier Clearinghouse will discuss the latest changes in Medicare billing and coverage for DMEPOS. An overview of educational events and resources will be provided, as will time for questions.

• Discuss the latest Medicare changes affecting DME suppliers, including coverage and billing changes.
• List the educational events, tools, and resources offered by each of the DME Medicare Administrative Contractors.
• Identify how to contact Medicare for answers to their questions.
• Discuss the written material the DME MACs have available.

Proposed penalties for acute re-admissions are increasing the pressure on hospitals to ensure that discharged COPD patients remain healthy and at home. Unfortunately this patient group presents several challenges: they are difficult to educate and they are highly non-compliant with prescribed therapy. This presentation will review the benefits of oxygen therapy for COPD and will discuss methods that have been shown to effectively improve patient compliance and reduce hospital re-admissions.

• Explain the outcome benefits of long-term oxygen therapy.
• Identify the typical training challenges associated with COPD patients.
• Identify the components of a successful re-admission reduction program.
• Explain simple ways to increase patient compliance with their oxygen prescription.

Providing powered mobility for bariatric clients can result in unique challenges not commonly faced when working with non-bariatric clients. This presentation will identify some of those challenges and suggest ways to successfully accommodate the client’s needs.

• Discuss common bariatric clients’ needs and key information to gather for finding solutions.
• Identify environmental challenges and constraints affecting the selection of bariatric power equipment.
• Identify various power mobility devices used to accommodate bariatric client’s needs.
• Discuss seating and positioning options used to accommodate bariatric client’s needs.

A thorough guide into the EZ-ACCESS ramp line and the specific application for each ramp. It also will cover how to evaluate, fit and install the correct EZ-ACCESS ramp for the intended application and mobility device.

• Evaluate the intended application to choose the right ramp.
• Identify how to fit the customer with the right ramp.
• Discuss the options with your customer to help make an informed choice.
• Review how to Install the ramp.

If there is anything we do well here in Iowa, it’s growing a healthy, rich crop from seed to sale. What we mean is taking an idea such as your company branding or focus and growing that idea into a healthy, functional website producing high revenues for your company and satisfying your customers very specific needs. This presentation will walk you through how to establish company branding throughout your website and give your customers a site they can easily navigate to find the exact information and products they are looking for.

• Explain how to establish solid company branding throughout your site.
• Discuss elements that give your site visitors exactly what they are looking for with every click.
• Evaluate tools that make you highly visible to your targeted audience in search engines.
• Explain how to increase revenues from website visitors.

This course will identify funding, coding and policy changes that impact consumers, suppliers and therapists. Issues that affect service provision and consumer outcomes will be discussed.

• Identify current Medicaid policy changes.
• Identify current Medicare policy changes.
• Explain how to apply policy changes to everyday practice.
• Advocate for change.

The DME industry continues to endure challenges as it fights to stay afloat in its turbulent environment. With the implementation of the first round of competitive bidding and the second round under way, hundreds of providers face uncertainties regarding their jobs and their beneficiaries face uncertainties about their access to quality care. Moreover, the health reform law that passed in early 2010 expands the second round of competitive bidding, imposes an excise tax on manufacturers, and revises payments for DME. Adding to this, providers must also endure more audits, continue to handle stringent oxygen regulations with the oxygen cap, and face additional cuts to DME. This presentation will provide a legislative update, discuss the potential impact of the 2012 election, and explain grass-roots lobbying.

• Explain the current status of DME legislation.
• Discuss the Health Care Reform Act and its effect on the DME industry.
• Identify key members of Congress and explain the importance of their positions.
• Discuss the upcoming 2012 election, explaining the impact of the elections on DME.

Legislative, regulatory, reimbursement, and other market uncertainties continue to hinder the near- and long-term strategies of home medical equipment providers. Overall, HME operators seem to have acknowledged a politically insecure future. As Washington winds up to implement Round 2 of competitive bidding and further reimbursement cuts appear likely, a positive outlook may be difficult. However, as this presentation will exhibit, demographics and other indicators remain most favorable. Acknowledging many HME businesses will have to retool and retrain to deal with Capitol Hill, opportunities in HME abound. In conjunction with a competitive bidding/MPP status update, we’ll discuss ongoing and potential regulatory issues and offer an overall assessment of the industry.

• Identify the key legislative and regulatory issues most likely to influence and shape the future of their business.
• Identify the demographic factors and trends that may mitigate these threats.
• Explain to company staff members the importance of a positive forecast within the HME community.
• tbd

This session will help HME providers understand how other companies in the HME industry are performing financially. This session will include a review of performance metrics in the industry, a study of key trends and a discussion of the implications. Attendees will review key benchmarks they can use in assessing their own financial performance and building their business model in a post-competitive bidding world. We will discuss opportunities to increase top and bottom line growth. This session is expected to be interactive with input and perspectives of the audience welcomed and encouraged.

• Discuss financial performance and results of entities in the HME industry.
• Construct a sound strategy for a post-competitive bidding world.
• Discuss how to use financial metrics to identify opportunities for growth and profitability.
• Exchange information with the presenter and other providers that benefits you.

The HME industry is getting tougher with increasing pressures from competitive bidding, continuing reimbursement cuts, and new forms of competition. An increasing number of customers today are baby boomer caregivers who have higher quality expectations, seek convenience, and want multiple product options from which to choose. As a result, generating sales and increasing cash flow is becoming increasingly difficult for many HMEs. The most successful survivors in this tough industry will be those who are tremendously good marketers. This session will present seven keys to successful sales and marketing in the HME industry. Hands-on techniques will be explained so you can immediately start generating profitable sales for your HME business.

• Discuss the principles of effective retail layout and merchandising.
• Explain how to leverage multiple points of customer contact within the HME business.
• Explain how to develop an effective marketing strategy.
• Explain how to combine conventional marketing techniques with Web marketing techniques to drive sales.

This session will explain the different types of home accessibility equipment and how each one is affected by the applicable codes. It will also explain how society and families benefit from the proper planning of living space to include residential ADA and universal design elements so that we are able to age in place.

• Compare the different types of home accessibility equipment.
• Discuss the applicable codes governing accessibility equipment.
• Discuss the social benefits of remaining in your home for as long as possible.
• Explain how accessibility fits into universal design.

This course will focus on a team approach to providing home assessments and modifications to the people we serve.

• Identify the roles of the team when assessing home modifications.
• Identify barriers to obtaining home modifications.
• Discuss processes to facilitate the completion of home modifications.
• Identify areas for improvement in evaluating barriers in home setups.

It’s very important that individuals can continue to live at home. For the HME/DME industry, home accessibility and home modification can be embraced as a strong and rapidly growing aspect of business. It is a great source of business for cash sales while decreasing exposure to reimbursement-driven systems. Because people want to live (die) at home, they are willing to pay for these products and services. This course will help you venture through the maze of indecision by identifying the proper level of products and services you can provide, and the complexities that you will encounter along the way. This includes things such as marketing, staff education, training and certification, licensure and building codes.

• Identify the opportunity that the home accessibility marketplace presents.
• Establish and define the criteria necessary to enhance your ability to successfully enter the home accessibility marketplace.
• Establish quality standards for performance within this marketplace.
• Distinguish guidelines and parameters to measure your success as you venture down the path that this opportunity presents.

The provision of home oxygen has long been weighted in labor and operational overhead. Most of the processes are non-value added and expensive. This presentation reviews various cost models and operational initiatives relating to cost-effective home oxygen therapy with the primary goal of demonstrating clinically sound and operationally efficient oxygen business models.

• Identify the market conditions and business challenges impacting home oxygen therapy.
• Explain the difference between value-added and non-value-added activities and the effect on operations.
• Identify new technology and tactics to deliver clinically sound home oxygen therapy within the cost constraints imposed by reimbursement.
• Interpret different approaches that can be used to successfully transition to a more operationally efficient business model.

The sudden and dramatic increase in pre-payment and post-payment audits has significantly increased the number of denials and extrapolated over-payments. As a former statutory appeal director for DME, Wayne van Halem will give the audience a basic understanding of the audit process and your rights in appealing such denials. Tips on what a supplier can do increase their chances that they will receive a favorable determination will be discussed.

• Discuss the basic appeal process and statistics.
• Explain your appeal rights and how they differ depending on the audit.
• Explain how to best document and present your appeals.
• Discuss some tips a provider can implement to increase the likelihood of favorable determinations.

When fitting patients for a seating system, close attention is paid to posture and pressure distribution. However, little consideration is given to the impact that postural changes and structural support systems have on respiratory function. This presentation will focus on objective measures that can be used during wheelchair assessments to determine the affect the seating and positioning intervention has on the patient. The effects of the diagnosis on respiratory function, seating systems and angles of positioning will be discussed. A review of the research will be shared to establish evidenced-based practice.

• Identify at least two different potential seating solutions in order to maximize respiratory function in the wheelchair.
• Identify at least two rapid, easy-to-use methods to identify changes in respiratory system performance.
• Name five components in the respiratory assessment process related to posture and wheelchair seating.
• Identify at least two effects power seating has on respiratory function.

This session will use a case study format and demonstrations to apply the concepts in the RESNA Wheelchair Service Provision Guide to evaluate and prescribe an independent manual and seating mobility system. Attendees will apply concepts and learn objective measures to ensure successful outcomes and enhance documentation.

• List three or more objective measures, their application and interpretation in the evaluation of a manual wheeled seating and mobility evaluation.
• Describe two clinical effects that seat slope, axle position and back adjustments have on propulsion efficiency.
• Indicate one key evaluation factor for a successful outcome from the client perspective.
• Describe at least three propulsion strokes and state advantages and disadvantages.

More than 95% of older adults want to remain living in their homes as they age, and the last several years has seen an explosion of inexpensive and effective caregiving technologies that support the aging in place movement. This session will provide an overview of new approaches that help older Americans age in place, with a specific focus on remote monitoring safety systems. Additionally, many of these products provide an interesting opportunity for DMEs looking to increase their cash sales.

• Review aging in place technologies.
• Discuss how remote monitoring works.
• Discuss how the revenue flows within an aging in place organization.
• ..

What should you do when an audit letter arrives from CMS, the OIG or your DMERC? Suppose agents show up at your door? The government can also cut off or delay Medicare reimbursements! These actions frequently catch home care providers completely by surprise. They cause severe financial hardship and have resulted in providers closing their businesses altogether – or worse. It is extremely important for homecare providers to be well versed in the issues and the laws surrounding the issues. Learn what red flags may trigger scrutiny. Understand what you should do when agents show up for an inspection or investigation. We will also discuss compliance programs and other proactive solutions.

• Discuss what the government is allowed to do – and how to fight back.
• Identify what red flags may trigger scrutiny.
• Explain what you should do when agents show up for an inspection or investigation.
• Describe compliance programs and other proactive solutions.

The current environment of strict oversight, aggressive audits, extensive prepayment reviews, and extrapolated overpayments are designed to protect the government. The government has awarded several contracts worth over $100 million each to powerful private contractors – contractors who want to demonstrate to CMS a return on their investment. Enlightened suppliers have begun to realize compliance programs can protect their businesses as well. All-inclusive compliance programs are the most effective tool a supplier can implement to monitor claims, employees, and reimbursement. This program is designed for a supplier or any size. Accredited providers must already have some compliance procedures in place and this program will build upon that foundation to further protect your business and your livelihood.

• Identify the steps to take to implement a compliance program.
• Discuss the mandatory compliance program requirements.
• Define how to successfully integrate a compliance program into your daily operations.
• Identify the legal benefits and pitfalls related to compliance programs.

This course will deal with environmental analysis of an accessibility need and teach how to define, assess and develop an effective solution.

• Define accessibility need.
• Interpret accessibility requirements.
• Formulate accessibility plan.
• Assess accessibility solution.

I quit a lucrative job to start my business with literally no money. Our company has focused on slow controlled growth and we are now one of the larger accessibility providers in Minnesota. We are a part of a new and exciting marketplace. Only the fittest will survive. I will give you some of my marketing ideas and strategies to staying marketable and relevant. But don't forget, some of the old school strategies still work.

• Create ways to start thinking outside the box.
• Use social media without getting overloaded.
• Identify how to focus your marketing while staying flexible.
• Identify your audience and get to know their needs.

This presentation will explain how to navigate the legal land mines involved in subcontracting, networks, and contracts for management services and inventory supplies; unfair hospital discharge referrals, down-streaming and exclusivity; physician relationships; compensation programs; preferred provider arrangements; medical necessity and documentation requirements; and other current fraud and abuse topics.

• Explain how to navigate the legal land mines involved in subcontracting, networks, and contracts for management services and inventory supplies.
• Discuss physician relationships and what still works.
• Identify compensation programs that offer incentives for items or services rendered.
• Discuss current fraud and abuse topics such as waivers of co-payment, and telemarketing efforts.

Attendees who are interested in increasing their marketing to home health care consumers will learn about the opportunities and challenges. With the aging of America’s more affluent and abundant baby boomer generation, opportunities are emerging to provide this audience with home health care products to help them stay independent. Consumer marketing is very different from the traditional referral marketing with which most providers are familiar. We’ll discuss consumer marketing techniques and planning, lessons learned from successful companies and how to measure results.

• Discuss the changing face of home health care product users.
• Apply the consumer marketing mix that is right for your business.
• Implement what is learned from other successful organizations.
• Discuss consumer marketing planning and techniques.

The physical and functional evaluation has been completed by the clinical team members. How do we now choose seating interventions for this particular individual that will most fully achieve these desired outcomes? How do we select the specific type of seating equipment and options that will maximize the individual’s function? This series of courses (Parts 1, 2, and 3) will provide a comprehensive presentation of the types of potential seating solutions and how to match them to the individual user. Part 1 will present the goals for seating and positioning, a review of the optimal seated posture, an in-depth discussion of the natural shapes and angles of the seated anatomy and a comparison of basic linear and contoured seating systems.

• Describe the position and orientation of the pelvis, trunk and lower extremities in “ideal” sitting posture and the pros and cons of a 90/90/90 posture.
• Describe the anatomical shapes and angles that should be considered in the provision of seating interventions and their corresponding equipment components.
• Discuss the features, benefits and trade-offs for sling upholstery, linear seating, contoured seating and custom molded seating.
• Describe the characteristics of an appropriate user for sling upholstery, linear seating, contoured seating and custom molded seating.

The physical and functional evaluation has been completed by the clinical team members. How do we now choose seating interventions for this particular individual that will most fully achieve these desired outcomes? How do we select the specific type of seating equipment and options that will maximize the individual’s function? This is the second of a 3-part series of presentations that will provide a comprehensive presentation of the types of potential seating solutions and how to match them to the individual user. Part 3 will present the features, use and appropriate user for the various secondary supports and accessories for the pelvis, trunk, upper and lower extremities.

• Describe the function and appropriate use of anterior pelvic supports, lateral pelvic supports and a pelvic obliquity build-up.
• Describe the function and appropriate use of leg troughs, leg length discrepancy cuts, lateral upper leg supports, lateral knee supports, medial upper leg supports, anterior knee supports and residual limb supports.
• Describe the function and appropriate use of heel loops, ankle straps, toe loops, foot positioners and foot boxes.
• Describe the function and appropriate use of I-backs, T-backs, lumbar supports, posterior lateral pelvic supports, anterior trunk supports, anterior shoulder supports and fixed tilt.

The physical and functional evaluation has been completed by the clinical team members. How do we now choose seating interventions for this particular individual that will most fully achieve these desired outcomes? How do we select the specific type of seating equipment and options that will maximize the individual’s function? This is the second of a 3-part series of presentations that will provide a comprehensive presentation of the types of potential seating solutions and how to match them to the individual user. Part 2 will provide a comprehensive look at the features and appropriate use of various contours and angles in the seat, back, lower extremity, upper extremity and head supports.

• Describe the features, benefits and appropriate use of a posterior contour in the seat support, including the appropriate use and size of an anti-thrust seat.
• Describe the benefits, appropriate use, contraindications and considerations of an open seat to back angle, a closed seat to back angle and a wedge seat.
• Identify the correct and incorrect use of elevating and articulating legrests.
• Describe the features, benefits and appropriate use of a posterior pad, occipital support, occipital pads, lateral facial pads and anterior supports for a headrest.

This session will discuss the importance of the medical benefits of proper seating using tilt.

• List at least three diagnoses.
• Describe the three planes of tilt.
• Identify at least two measurable outcomes for seating and mobility.
• Identify at least three medical benefits of tilt.

Modest makeovers provide a way to improve the homes of people with disabilities, without extensive remodeling. You will see "before" and "after" examples of successful makeover projects and test your creative skills with a makeover challenge.

• Identify the disorganization and clutter problems that often occur in the homes of people who have a serious disability.
• Discuss the importance of creating a supportive environment that facilitates independence, rather than depending on a caregiver to provide assistance.
• Identify no-cost or low-cost strategies to improve home accessibility.
• Apply "modest makeover" skills to improve home accessibility.

Get the skills you need to fine-tune employee performance and effectively manage situations in this informative, humorous program. Explore delegating, building a team, managing career cycles, evaluating performance, and coaching in a positive environment: it's about real management tools for the real work-a-day world! Find the motivation and perspective to establish a long-term, reputable management career by using communication techniques to control rumors, build consensus, and solve problems.

• Discuss the management role and forces that shape management style.
• Analyze performance discrepancies and address those issues using the art of coaching that encompasses the confronting process and ultimately improving performance.
• Apply a situational analysis process in order to identify and analyze the problem and work to a successful conclusion.
• Enhance personal communication techniques to gain results in meetings, controlling rumors and group problem-solving.

You know the LCD (Local Coverage Determination) for oxygen and PAP, but how do you put it into practice within your organization to make good admission decisions and be compliant in the face of an audit? Intake personnel need to understand the coverage criteria to make good decisions. Medical documentation must be reviewed for compliance. What are the auditing bodies finding during their reviews and how can you prevent your company from making the same mistakes? This session will help you understand the details associated with two of our industries largest product categories.

• Identify ways to instruct your intake personnel on Medicare coverage criteria.
• Identify the skills required to assess and review chart notes.
• Discuss CERT audit results and how they affect providers.
• Analyze pre-payment audit results and how they affect providers.

Many supply replenishment solutions are available for DME providers to choose from. However, which mix of communication, eligibility and fulfillment options offer the optimal results for your business? This session will review the pros and cons of the different patient communication methods, discuss methods to optimize an existing or new resupply program and provide case studies highlighting some of the common challenges and results when implementing an integrated and multi-mode communication resupply program.

• Discuss why resupply is relevant to your patients’ outcomes and the continued growth of your business.
• Compare and contrast the different eligibility determination, communication methods and order processing options available to home care providers today.
• Review and discuss the business and clinical outcomes that can be derived from optimizing resupply methods and processes.
• ..

In order to be paid by Medicare for its services and not have to give the payment back in the future, the HME supplier must maintain strict documentation and evidence of medical necessity. This is even more true in the current industry environment. This program will educate the HME supplier on current trends and requirements involving post-payment audits and pre-payment reviews. The program will include information about steps the supplier must take to successfully respond to a pre-payment review and to avoid a large overpayment from its next post-payment audit.

• List the documentation and medical necessity requirements upon which the DME MACs, Zone Program Integrity Contractors (ZPICs), and Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs) are focusing.
• Discuss current post-payment audit and pre-payment review trends and how to avoid being assessed a large overpayment.
• Define the procedures to implement to comply with documentation and medical necessity requirements.
• List the steps that are necessary to prepare for post-payment audits and pre-payment reviews.

Taught in a humorous, fun way by a professional self-defense instructor and certified crime prevention trainer, this personal safety and self-defense program teaches how to recognize and avoid dangerous situations, use voice and language for self-defense and defend oneself from attackers. The presentation combines audience participation, demonstration of simple, effective self-defense techniques and personal safety tips to accelerate learning and increase retention. Workplace violence prevention is stressed throughout.

• Identify the four types of workplace violence and associated risk factors.
• Discuss the elements of an effective workplace violence prevention program.
• Explain how to initiate a safety protocol of mental, verbal and physical self-defense if attacked or threatened.
• Implement work-place violence plans, policies and procedures.

As the country gets closer to the November elections, when 435 house members, 33 senators and the president face the voters, this presentation will focus on what various election outcomes may mean for the home care community. If the same party controls the Congress and the White House, is that good for home care or is divided government a better result as entitlement programs like Medicare and Medicaid come under increasing pressure?

• Discuss the impact of the 2012 elections and the possible impact on the home care community.
• Discuss the home care legislative and regulatory initiatives that may be helped or hindered by various election outcomes.
• Discuss how the views of the nationwide electorate are affecting the candidates and issues that impact home care.
• Discuss how the home care community may need to respond in order to advocate effectively with a new congress and possibly a new administration in 2013.

Discussion will be about the proper steps and order to follow for processing and receiving payment for power mobility devices (PMDs). Discussion will include proper modifier use, team support and responsibilities for each member of the rehab team.

• Discuss the basic format that is required for coverage of PMDs.
• Discuss the process to follow in acquiring documentation needed for coverage of a POV.
• Identify power chairs that are purchased vs. rental.
• List the documentation needed to provide further clarity for the patient’s ability to use the PMDs within his/her home.

Based on my research with companies like Disney, Starbucks, Four Seasons, and, of course, Ritz-Carlton, each of these award-winning organizations has a very specific set of variables they employ as part of their "service culture." I refer to them as service "pillars" upon which their companies succeed year-after-year.

• Explain how four- and five-star service providers provide better service.
• Explain the difference between regular customer service and "QCS."
• Discuss helpful tips to make your operation more customer-centric.
• Discuss tips on how to deal with difficult customers.

This session will educate Heartland attendees on how MileageTraks™ will improve an HME’s bottom line with mileage management and productivity increases of employees who submit for mileage reimbursement. MileageTraks™ is a patent-pending product offered by On-Board Communications, VGM's provider of Fleet Management Solutions.

• Explain the ways that HMEs can cut costs by controlling mileage reimbursement and better routing of their clinicians and marketers who drive their personal vehicles for company business.
• Describe how employees can automate their mileage logs, allowing for the reduction of clerical activities and increases in productivity.
• Describe the basic components of GPS Fleet Management Systems and how they communicate their data.
• Identify reports that management can use to streamline the administrative mileage reimbursement process.

This interactive session will cover four of the most important things our members can do to help diversify their business in retail, and get results.

• Discuss who the customers are, where they are located, and how to get the word out to them.
• Identify who your competitors are, what products they’re selling, how much they’re selling them for, and what level of service they provide.
• Explain the in-store experience and what it includes.
• Discuss the importance of sales tracking, and explain how to use this information to drive sales.

Please understand that this is not a course on how to stop paying incentives and bonuses. I believe in both of them and will help you see why they are different than coin-operated sales payments. Bonuses and incentives are the carrot at the end of the horse’s whip. If you can visualize that, then you will really be energized by what we will uncover in this CoachShopsm.

• Compare the differences between engaged and retired sales team members.
• Explain how to balance incentives and bonuses to get results.
• Explain why sales don’t just happen, and what your role is in all of this.
• Create a behavior-based incentive program that will increase referrals and sales.

This dynamic and insightful program brings you a non-stop sales training session. Learn sales strategies, presentation skills, key referral source issues, and how to increase your revenues by asking for business opportunities. For the experienced and new sales person, there is much to learn during this program. Identify the characteristics you must possess to be an outrageously successful sales person. New times are requiring a new sales approach and this program will address what you need to do to build your business.

• Describe a pre-sales call presentation strategy.
• Identify key referral source interests in our changing health care environment.
• Construct a sales call week and provide strategies for working the territory.
• Recite quick and easy sales tips that can be immediately incorporated in your business.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) occurs as a result of genetic changes that affect the anterior horn cells. The degenerative nature of this disease requires anticipation for changes in seating and mobility. Planning for the respiratory support equipment needs and augmented communication devices is also necessary. This session reviews the characteristics of the different types of SMA, and uses case studies to examine the seating and mobility needs for this population.

• Describe the characteristics of each type of SMA, average age of onset, life expectancy and etiology of each.
• List three or more control interface options for SMA power wheelchair operation, how those requirements could change.
• List at least three positioning and support requirements critically important for wheeled mobility prescription for consumers with diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy.
• Identify two or more supplementary pieces of equipment that should be added to the mobility system as the disease progresses.

This interactive program will focus on seating accessories and wheelchair modifications that can be used to better position a client in his/her wheelchair even if replacing the wheelchair is not an option. Common postural asymmetries and their root causes will be discussed, as well as the potentially negative effects on clients’ function. Tricia Henley will lead discussions on potential seating accessory solutions for the postural tendencies and how to medically justify the options.

• Identify postures that put the client’s skin at increased risk for breakdown.
• Explain how the seated posture contributes to increased risk for skin breakdown.
• List two to three potential ways to improve client functional outcomes with wheelchair seating accessories.
• List several potential ways to improve client functional outcomes with wheelchair modifications.

There has been a lot of news about AASM’s and CMS’ approval of sleep labs and HME working under the same PTAN number. Is this another threat to the CPAP/Bi-level business and how can the HME not lose this market share?

• Discuss how sleep labs might be a threat to your CPAP/BiLevel business.
• Discuss how an HME company can compete with a sleep lab who is supplying HME.
• Review Integrated Sleep Service Provider and identify if this is a growing trend.
• Explain how coordination of care between sleep labs and HME operations can occur.

Hiring for success in the HME industry is a constant challenge. The need to find the right person for the right position is a daunting task. Discover personality traits that characterize whether a person is equipped or qualified to serve in your reimbursement department. This session offers an informative look into staffing one of the most critical parts of your operation and how to educate for success.

• Identify hiring practices that work for your organization.
• Identify personality types that are a good fit for your billing staff.
• Implement training tools for your billing team.
• Build an effective, efficient and more productive billing department.

This is a practical program describing the medical benefits of standing products. Specific topics will include choosing a stander, how to do a stander evaluation, how to conduct a successful trial, ways to help therapists write good letters of medical necessity, and what to do if there is a denial. Attendees will learn valuable information that will apply for much of complex rehab products and will help them maximize a profitable market segment. This program has been recently submitted, and we expect accreditation from the University of Pittsburgh.

• Identify several serious health concerns resulting from immobilization and describe ways in which standing can prevent or mitigate each.
• Properly evaluate a person who uses a wheelchair to determine if standing is medically appropriate, then assess individual needs to determine an appropriate standing device.
• Explain how to justify a standing program based on proven medical benefits through a comprehensive letter of medical necessity.
• Describe the pathway to funding a standing frame and resources available to appeal a payer denial.

This presentation will discuss the HME service delivery process and policies that limit funding. Many HME suppliers are faced with ethical dilemmas when trying to provide the most appropriate equipment and service. As health care professionals it is in our best interest and our customer’s best interest to advocate for policy change. This session will discuss how the HME provider can better partner with the consumer to affect positive policy change, both locally and nationally. This partnership will ultimately result in better business practices and improved customer service.

• Identify three elements of self-advocacy.
• Explain three aspects to sustained consumer involvement.
• State two ethical dilemmas and possible solutions.
• Define consumer empowerment.

Too often the care for a client who is at risk or has a current or past history of a pressure sore is compromised when equipment recommendations for support surfaces are handled independently of one another. Clients with limited or no sensation are not just at risk in their wheelchair, but also on all other support surfaces. This session will use a “day in the life” model, from bed positioning to wheelchair and back to bed, using objective measures to demonstrate the impact of clinical decision making for power seating and seating systems, alternative solutions for other sitting surfaces, and mattress selection.

• Name two current approaches to documenting, measuring and addressing pressure management from evidenced-based documents.
• Describe at least three support surface materials and characteristics when selecting bed and wheelchair support surfaces.
• Identify at least two positioning considerations for wheelchair and bed positioning.
• Explain the importance of coordinating all support surfaces in establishing an individualized pressure management plan.

In the next year, the HME industry will go through some of its most dramatic changes ever. From competitive bidding to the ICD-10 diagnosis codes implementation and a rapidly evolving ecosystem that is electronically connected, these changes will require providers to deepen their focus on technology strategies. The lines between the traditional HME and other providers are blurring. Contracts and connections with provider networks will become more important. At the same time, the pace of consolidation is rapidly increasing. To position your business for strategic moves and to stay a part of the home care system, attend this session to learn about how the market is shaping up and what your mission-critical operating technologies need to support.

• Discuss key industry trends that will drive process and technology change.
• Identify the rapidly changing home care ecosystem and its technology infrastructure.
• Identify gaps in your technology systems and learn about emerging technologies.
• Create action steps to prepare mission-critical technology systems for operating in changing HME environment.

Have you struggled with getting movement on a process improvement effort? Do you and your team keep coming back to the same old issues again and again? Chances are you are making one (or more) of the common mistakes associated with stalled process improvement efforts. Whether you are trying to improve intake, delivery, confirmation, inventory/purchasing, or a billing process, understanding effective and proven process improvement techniques can help ensure your success. Our approach is focused on improving efficiency, productivity, and process performance.

• Identify and reduce waste and inefficiency within processes and workflow.
• Discuss how to structure, execute, and manage process improvement initiatives.
• Explain how to avoid common mistakes associated with failed projects.
• Explain how to respond (and fix) process breakdowns.

The need to diversify business and enter into new product lines is more important now than ever before. Therapeutic support surfaces provide an added value to your business, patients and referral sources. The purpose of this program is to identify the different functionalities, modalities and characteristics of therapeutic support surfaces and provide an overview of the support surface market, who qualifies and other factors that affect the care of pressure ulcers.

• Select the proper surfaces needed for prevention, healing and comfort.
• Explain the importance of therapeutic support surfaces and the market.
• Organize an effective intake and reimbursement process.
• Describe the need for pressure ulcer prevention now and in the future.

COPD is the third leading cause of death in the U.S., with 24 million afflicted and 12 million people diagnosed. The attendees will receive a review of COPD, current practices and components of care. This program will also review COPD staging, solutions that relate to the COPD progression and tools to help the DME grow and be successful in today’s market.

• Define COPD and the staging.
• Discuss current practices for treatment (components of care).
• Identify tools to help the DME grow and thrive in today’s market.
• Identify solutions relating to the progression of COPD.

Unfortunately, many people living with physical limitations lack functional mobility and control of their surroundings. As a rehab team, we can help consumers regain control of their life through assistive technology. This session will help clinicians and providers make neurological and physical observations to determine the most appropriate access method for functional power wheelchair driving. Beyond driving, various options for controlling the environment will also be discussed. Client case studies will be used to demonstrate possible solutions for individuals across the lifespan.

• List three physical conditions that will guide selection of a drive control to match the consumer’s functional needs.
• Identify two options for computer access through the wheelchair.
• Compare and contrast environmental needs for children, adults, and the elderly.
• Discuss the process for choosing the most appropriate access method for power mobility.

This presentation will discuss safety issues in the home and opportunities to grow your business while providing a solution to a safety problem.

• Explain the problems bathrooms can present for senior injury and falls.
• Identify the products available.
• Discuss the options there are to prevent these problems.
• Explain how to apply the solutions to proactively address the issues.

HME owners and sales managers are facing the toughest times in our industry’s history. The effectiveness of your sales team has never been more important, yet the majority of HME companies have ineffective sales people using tired old sales strategies that aren’t working. This is a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is session that will serve as a wake up.

• Identify what a SEAL Team is, and why it is the single most important business strategy to implement.
• Discuss how to attract, identify, and hire sales superstars.
• List the proven sales management strategies for driving high growth performance.
• Explain how to turn all your sales people into top performers with a proven sales process.

This session will explore which options/accessories can be billed, in addition to the manual and power wheelchair base at initial purchase. Appropriate coding and justification for billable options/accessories will be presented.

• Identify at least three separately billable wheelchair accessories for manual and power wheelchairs to maximize reimbursement.
• Identify at least two appropriate medical justifications for the provision of separately billable wheelchair accessories.
• Identify current and updated HCPCS coding changes.
• Discuss coding for wheelchair options/accessories when provided as a replacement item.

Training is an eight-letter word that can be the bane of an organization’s existence. But let’s face it: without it we are on a fast pace to inefficiency, errors, billing denials and audit take backs. We focus on intake and billing, but how do our delivery techs affect our cash flow and DSO? A fully trained delivery technician equals a well-educated patient/caregiver and compliant paperwork. Compliant paperwork saves companies in pre-pay and post pay audits. One of the most frequent reasons for Medicare take backs and lack of payment from pre-pay audits is insufficient or no proof of delivery, which is just one of the many reasons why we need to provide our delivery personnel with the paperwork training they deserve.

• Identify areas where delivery technicians have inadequate training.
• Provide ideas on how to improve training.
• Provide training aids to increase delivery paperwork compliance.
• Improve paperwork compliance.

This session will focus on the Comfort Company’s all new custom seating line. Two years of solid work has produced a line of custom seating that is different than any other custom seating system on the market. Steven will be showing how this line is different and how it will make your life easier.

• Define “custom.”
• Discuss the new custom product line offered by the Comfort Company.
• Discuss the simplified ordering process.
• ..

By now most people know who is auditing, but do you know WHY you are being audited? James Herren will walk you through the CMS rationale for auditing and how the supplier fits into this picture. From the CERT contractor to the DME MACs and all groups in between, the more you know why, the better equipped you are to deal with it. This presentation will discuss how you can be better prepared for audits, and what the future may hold.

• Discuss where your audits are coming from.
• Explain why you are being audited.
• Identify what to do when you are being audited.
• Discuss the tips on working in an audit-heavy environment.

Participants will learn how to optimize positioning, pressure reduction and comfort for improved bowel and hygiene management of the rehab client.

• Position the rehab client for safe bowel and hygiene care.
• Stabilize the pelvis in a commode seat.
• Customize shower commode chairs for the CP client.
• Improve accessibility for C6 quadriplegic.

You’ll get the latest update on changes to federal Medicare policies for home oxygen, power wheelchairs and other DME items. Learn how changes proposed by congress or being considered by CMS will impact your business and your patients. Learn what you can and cannot do, how and what you need to do, and more. Get the latest on CMS’ demonstration project for power mobility claims, the industry’s proposal to create a separate benefit category for complex rehab power wheelchairs, and the industry’s proposal to reform how Medicare pays for home oxygen therapy. Get the latest from congress as it considers Medicare fraud and abuse initiatives, what the industry is actively supporting on Capitol Hill and with CMS.

• Explain how the key oxygen and power mobility legislative issues will impact your HME business.
• Discuss the federal regulatory developments impacting your company and your patients.
• Explain how to obtain the support of your members of congress to effect positive changes to the home oxygen benefit.
• Identify the key fraud and abuse legislative issues that will impact your HME business.

Your patients owe you money - a lot of money. And 74 percent of them are “willing and able” to pay you what they owe you. But, you need to be prepared to communicate with each patient uniquely, based on his or her preferences and facilitate payments using a multitude of mediums and payment types. During this session, we'll explore what Patientco has learned about patient preferences, how you can apply what you learn and where a PCPS comes into consideration.

• Discuss Patientco's Patient Communication and Payments System (PCPS).
• Identify why does vertical integration matter?
• Discuss a self-pay snapshot and how the problem is getting worse.
• Recognize that one size does not fit all.

This presentation will discuss what the HME retail vision should be to continue to grow revenue now and in the future: what product categories have the best potential, how to market new products to new referrals and customers, and how to get clinicians to refer retail customers to you. The opportunities are numerous and those with the proper vision will have the opportunity to cash in as America ages.

• Identify the vast opportunity that HME retail offers.
• Compare product categories that present the greatest growth potential.
• Explain how to market new technology to new buyers.
• Discuss how and where to get the best employees.

Most of what we change in sitting is done subconsciously. We seldom think of what we change. How do we sit and why? A more important question is how can we create comfort and function for the user and decrease long-term injuries? This presentation will cover how we compensate and how you use your body to achieve what you need, comfort and function. How users differ and what different user groups may need will also be discussed.

• Discuss how users differ and what different user groups may need.
• Describe how we compensate and how you use your body to achieve what you need, comfort and function.
• Discuss how design changes behavior when adapting a wheelchair for sitting and mobility.
• Create comfort and function for the user and decrease long-term injuries.