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Providing standing power wheelchairs can be a complicated and overwhelming experience even for the best ATP or clinician. Everything from initial setup to delivery when performed in the right order can promote the best outcomes for your clients. Injuries associated with standing power wheelchairs can happen quickly and affect your client’s confidence with the device. The Permobil Power Standing Training 2.0 will provide clinicians and ATPs with the knowledge to recognize the medical and functional benefits of standing, determine an appropriate power standing device, and understand the necessary steps in the evaluation and delivery to promote great outcomes. Included will be hands-on training related to programming Permobil power standing wheelchairs with highlights of new product features as well as coverage of the ICS switch box.

This short course provides a generalized overview for respiratory HMEs to identify how to incorporate HFCWO within their comprehensive respiratory care strategy.

This workshop will focus on three areas of Human Capital: HR, People & Culture, and Org. Development. The workshop will consist of an overview of how VGM focuses on each of these areas. From there, real-life scenarios will be presented for review related to each of these three areas. Participants will break into groups to discuss each scenario and determine the suggested outcome for each scenario. The goal of this workshop is to provide an overview of how a Human Capital team can perform, and engage you with real-life examples of ‘people issues’ to discuss with your industry peers.

Embark on a guided journey through VGM’s headquarters and fulfillment facility led by our captain, who is sure to tell you how VGM grew into the great business it is today and ways to maximize your membership. See Guest Services to sign up! 

Embark on a guided journey through VGM’s headquarters and fulfillment facility led by our captain, who is sure to tell you how VGM grew into the great business it is today and ways to maximize your membership. Login to the attendee portal, or see Guest Services to sign up! 

Van G. Miller Memorial Golf Tournament - Play 18 holes at Waterloo’s premier course at this event honoring VGM’s founder, Van G. Miller. Shotgun start at 1 p.m. Lunch is provided before golf starts. Note: This is not included in general registration and needs to be registered for separately. There is also an additional $75 cost. 

Rent a kayak at Big Woods park for 2 hours. Experience the calming nature of Big Woods’ 62-acre reservoir by land or by … lake. We will have a variety of kayaks available on the south side of the lake with a dock and launch area. Kayaks, paddles, and lifejackets are included. Perfect for beginners and experts as this is a no-wake lake.  In addition to kayaking, Big Woods offers disc golf (discs included) and walking.  If interested, please sign up when you register or in your Attendee Portal!  Guests can enjoy an assortment of refreshments and snacks.

Hansen's Dairy Farm: This guided farm tour is our full experience! Tour takes you through the process of getting milk from the cow to your table. Admission includes a trolley ride to the farm, then a tour on foot to pet all of our animals and see our facilities. All participants can feed a calf, milk a cow by hand, pet the kangaroos and goats, make homemade butter, sample Hansen’s products and eat ice cream.

Embark on a guided journey through VGM’s headquarters and fulfillment facility led by our captain, who is sure to tell you how VGM grew into the great business it is today and ways to maximize your membership. Login to the attendee portal, or see Guest Services to sign up! 

New to Heartland Conference? Yes! We love that! Then you need to be at Anton's Garden in downtown Waterloo, a quick walk from the Convention Center, to meet all of your fellow first-time attendees. Grab a drink and meet some new friends. Afterward, you can all attend the official Heartland Conference Kick-Off event at the RiverLoop! 

You don't want to miss the kick-off to Heartland Conference event - Rendezvous in the 'Loo! Great food, entertainment, socializing with new and old friends, drinks, and as always, amazing fireworks!

Unprecedented, chaotic, overwhelming, exhausting. These are the words most frequently used today to describe our personal and professional lives. Let’s face it though, this is not the first time - nor will it be the last - that we will be challenged on a mental, emotional, physical, and yes, even a spiritual level. When we’re not at our best in these areas, we just don’t perform well, leaving creativity, flexibility and innovation on the table. The impact? Our key performance indicators suffer, including revenue and profitability.

Today’s imperative is for our organizations to cultivate our ability to become Change-Proof: having the ability to not just to ride the waves of change… but to shred them and stay on top for the long ride! Resilience is the foundation, both individually and organizationally, for maintaining performance. Research shows that when we develop, practice, and invest in the skills of resilience, the results are improved health, more energy, passion and engagement, lower turnover and greater team innovation and performance.

In this high-energy interactive talk, Adam defines and unpacks resilience, showing why our ability to bounce forward is the most important definition. He teaches tangible, impactful strategies and practices to improve our levels of resilience and our capacity to leverage the stress of uncertainty and change to build long-term success.

Learning Objectives:

• Understanding the importance of resilience as a predictor of the bottomline and the new paradigm of Change Proof resilience
• Developing a definition of personal and team resilience to deploy in daily leadership roles
• Leveraging the new insights from case studies and research for the most effective recovery rituals and techniques to reduce performance depletion (mentally, emotionally, physically and even spiritually), prevent fatigue, improve health, increase energy, elevate quality of life and reduce stress and burnout
• Applying the proprietary Resilience Rank Assessment results for your organization and creating a Recovery Map to improve MEPS performance metrics
• Discovering an optimal paradigm to challenge the “status quo” and break through fear of change using the 1% Factor
• Discovering the 4 most important aspects of a resilient culture to operationalize resilience within your organization

This session will discuss a 4-year study looking at the impact of placing a respiratory therapist in the post-acute setting of the home to decrease hospital readmissions while adding value to the institutions, physician practices, and payors. This program will give light on redefining and expanding our roles and the importance in the post-acute arena.

A good wheelchair supplier repairs the products they provide. Recently, this has become more challenging with the cost of repairs increasing including parts, labor, and fuel. Unfortunately, the payment rates from insurance companies have not increased proportionally. So what can a supplier do to maximize reimbursement for repairs? One way is to maintain a very efficient documentation process and reduce the time it takes to perform the repair. ALERT - There has been a change in 2023 to what is acceptable for continued need for wheelchair repairs and it's good news! In this session, learn how to ensure you are in compliance with this Jan. 2023 change.

Perhaps more than ever before, the reality of employee burnout and other mental health challenges has never been more common. How do you address an employee's needs without sacrificing the ability to get the job done? How legitimate are accommodation requests and what potential solutions are other companies pursuing? Come for an open dialog on how to approach this situation in a rapidly changing marketplace.

Things are heating up when it comes to audits. We know it is not your favorite subject, but this presentation will provide a solid foundation of what you need to know as far as audits are concerned. We will provide an overview of what oversight entities and payers are currently focused on as well as a look into what we might expect in the second half of the year. Knowledge is power when it comes to protecting your business from audit recoupments and denials.

During this 1-hour educational session, attendees will gain knowledge in smart home technology and its functional benefits for persons with permanent disabilities. This session will give attendees insights to the various systems and devices, compatibility, and latest technology advances in the common mainstream products found on the market to help individuals control their home environment independently.

Successful HMEs with eligible product lines earn a significant portion of their revenue from their proactive, well-managed resupply program. Join Ronda and Joey in a discussion on how leading providers are managing and mastering their resupply lines of business. In this session, we’ll discuss workflow, tools/technology, product lines, payer/product specifics, and some dos and don’ts for managing this important revenue stream.

In this session, we will share updates on the rapid growth within the home access industry. 2022 was a turning point year with the industry experiencing sustained rapid growth big investments and much more public awareness. We are seeing 18-20% growth, which is expected to continue for the rest of this decade. We will share how the industry is working to define and professionalize itself and become a trusted resource in the homecare spectrum. Lots of attention is being paid to increased care in the home. And finally, home modifications are part of the discussion.

Over the years, the government has refined its process and has gotten very good at finding and prosecuting healthcare fraud. In the recent large-scale investigation Operation Brace Yourself, the government took a hard look at suppliers who were engaged in the provision of orthotics. This was quickly followed up by Operations Double Helix and Rubber Stamp where the government took the lessons learned in Operation Brace Yourself and expanded its investigation into new products and market players. This presentation will talk about what that investigation looked like and things that a supplier under investigation should know. While focused on orthotics, this presentation will provide valuable insight into the investigation process for all suppliers.

To operate a successful HME business today, focus on automation, process and staff. Knowing what you need to flourish requires dedicated resources with skill sets to measure, monitor and focus on productivity and performance. Automation is a key factor in maximizing productivity and must work in tandem with people and process for operational efficiency. Once you optimize use of your software, you will find an improved operational flow. Join Miriam for a timely case study discussion of operational essentials for bottom line profitability.

Neurologic disabilities such as CP, ALS, MS, and SCI figure more prominently in discussions about the impact and importance of complex rehabilitation technology than CVA, yet more than 795,000 people in the United States suffer a CVA annually. Moreover, stroke reduces mobility in more than half of those over age 65. Medicare qualification requirements and reimbursement cuts have negatively influenced the caliber of wheeled mobility devices CVA survivors receive. Many obtain an upright, manual wheelchair that qualifies for Medicare rental reimbursement. It is well documented that manual tilt-in-space wheelchairs provide seat angle adjustments that can facilitate pressure relief, postural control, and activity-specific positioning, but these chairs are often not prescribed due to limitations related to independent propulsion, weight, and transport. This presentation will explore the research supporting the use of tilt. Topics will include: how changes in seat angle affect posture and pressure distribution, seat height and angle characteristics that impact self-propulsion, the relationship between independent mobility and incidence of pressure ulcers, and how changes in seat angle can influence activities of daily living. The clinical justification and documentation requirements for Medicare reimbursement of the E1161 code will be outlined, and participants will be educated on options to achieve the clinical benefits of manual tilt while enabling self-propulsion and transport.

A discussion of ePrescribing in the DME industry: what it is, what the benefit is for suppliers and prescribers, challenges to adoption, and why it's the right time to use it at your company.

Panelists:

• Kevin Ackermann, Parachute Health
• Nick Knowlton, VP Strategic Initiatives at ResMed
• Troy Johnson, EVP - Medical at Norco
• John Brady, CEO of DMEScripts

In this presentation, licensed mental health counselor, Ramona Wink, will teach attendees the skills that she teaches her clients, helping them to identify and live out their values, assess balance in their lives, and gain clarity and alignment on how they best fit within the organization they serve.

This session will provide participants with recent and timely government updates, illustrating how government policies have an affect the HME Industry. Topics will include the elections and the Congress committee assignments, federal legislation for HME, and state level reimbursement concerns. The group will also discuss recently released studies that support the industry’s concerns for declining Medicare reimbursement.

We will present on the NCART initiatives that will create additional opportunities for Complex Rehab Providers to enhance their business and our planned actions to protect them from overzealous legislative and regulatory federal and state agencies.

Understanding OSA, the history of PAP therapy and how advancements made over the last 30+ years may have gotten us "off track." Discussion about the future of the PAP circuit and how we will get back "on track" and work together to improve patient PAP adherence.

This session will discuss three areas, including the current state of repairs and evidence of adverse consequences, user and supplier views on preventative maintenance and repair services, and the development of WheelTrak technology. This presentation will be followed by audience discussion on three topics: understand suppliers' willingness to uptake WheelTrak technology and pitch it to managed care plans for reimbursement/lump sum payment, understand the fee structure if suppliers were to subscribe to the service (data) and product, evaluate if clients served by the suppliers will pay for a premium service. 

We’ve all been on the receiving end of a demanding referring physician or a customer with an unmet need. Tensions are high, voices are raised, and words get said that escalate rather than de-escalate the situation. In this session, we’ll use common HME scenarios as we explore responses that lead to the best possible outcome. With the workforce challenges we face today and the reality of value-based care, we need managers and the frontline team skilled in recovering from challenging service situations. This session is designed to give you the training tools to take back to your teams for improved customer service.

Current HME market dynamics have further incentivized providers to explore new areas for growth and expansion. Planning for growth and selecting new markets is too often a guessing game. What is my market share in my current markets? How much business is in that new market and how does that compare to my current markets? Who are my competitors and which payers do they work with? What is reimbursement for the new product focus with private payers? No matter the initiative, data should be at the heart of your business development strategy. Rather than flying blind into a new venture, hoping your projections will take hold, market intelligence data can provide greater certainty to your strategic planning efforts. This session will explore different ways market intelligence data can help HMEs quantify market expansion opportunities and determine appropriate resource allocation in planning efforts.

The CGM market is expanding as technology advances and the products are becoming familiar to everyone. Because of the newness of CGMs, gathering documentation and preparing claims for submission can be tricky. During this session, the panel of experts will review the reimbursement landscape. In addition, there will be a discussion on capturing the market with your referrals, important terminology, and strategies for retaining patients.

In this session, representatives from CGS Administrators and Noridian will discuss the current happenings in Medicare Fee-for-Service. Join us to learn how to reduce future claim denials and find the self-service tools available to suppliers for training and claim resolution.

Embark on a guided journey through VGM’s headquarters and fulfillment facility led by our captain, who is sure to tell you how VGM grew into the great business it is today and ways to maximize your membership. Login to the attendee portal, or see Guest Services to sign up! 

Until about 10 years ago, the DME industry primarily worked with traditional Medicare. Managed care, which was prevalent in the hospital and physician space, did not have much of a presence in the DME space. This has changed. Today, almost 50% of Medicare beneficiaries are covered by Medicare Advantage Plans (MAPs) and this percentage will continue to increase. What has been frustrating for DME suppliers is the lack of federal government oversight of MAPs. This is slowly beginning to change. CMS and the FTC are gathering information about problems arising out of actions by MAPs. And states are enacting laws designed to address the same types of problems. This program will discuss (i) federal law pertaining to MAPs, (ii) oversight responsibilities that the law currently imposes on MAPs, (iii) scrutiny by CMS and the FTC of problems arising out of actions by MAPs, (iv) actions being taken by the states, and (v) the type of oversight the government can be expected to exert over MAPs in the future. The program will also discuss the steps that DME suppliers, individually and as a group, can take to facilitate increased governmental oversight of MAPs.

It's a new retail frontier! It’s time to transform your customers' experience into something so inspiring and emotionally engaging that they become customers for life. Understand the new consumer and how to accommodate their needs/demands/expectations through strong branding, store design and display techniques. This lively session will discuss the importance of creating a shopping environment that triggers both left and right brain decision making. You’ll certainly look at your selling environment from a new perspective after this session.

As the patient portion of collections continues to climb to the top of open A/R and HME companies continue to combat staffing shortages, technology has become even more essential in addressing low collection rates and lack of labor resources. Providers do not have the time nor the staff to spend countless hours chasing patient responsibility when the entire financial patient experience and responsibility can be automated. The need to create a positive patient perception is more important than ever. Giving patients access and transparency through software and technology is the only solution. In this session, there will be discussion about how to facilitate a patient’s digital payment experience, as well as share how the market has evolved to enable swifter collections and the methods of communication that your patients desire. There will also be numerous stories from your colleagues on how they approach this sensitive matter as a part of this interactive session. Join industry experts Miriam Lieber and Jennifer Leon as they navigate the ins and outs of patient engagement and a seamless payment experience in today’s HME world. 

You read the policies andd the FAQs and try to keep up on all changes, but the mobility device prior authorization/claim is denied. Whether it's a CO4 (modifier inconsistent with the procedure code), not medically necessary, or a technical dating sequence error, this can keep you up at night. But it doesn't have to. Wouldn't it be great to have the same safeguards in place internally to catch it BEFORE it's denied? Unless you are into appeals, then this session is NOT for you. If you want to increase first-time approvals/reimbursement, then join us for this session to learn how to implement internal edits/safeguards to ensure timely and accurate reimbursement for mobility products.

Are you looking for ways to decrease cost and increase your revenue? Our panel of industry leaders and visionaries has got you covered. Join us as we explore cost-saving measures and revenue-generating opportunities through forms of telerespiratory services and outsourcing. Learn how to implement these technologies and decisions effectively to impact patient care and boost profitability. Don't miss this opportunity to gain insights and make informed decisions for your healthcare organization's success.

The cyber security panel discussion will consist of experts in the field of cybersecurity gathering to discuss various topics related to the protection of digital information and systems. During the panel, each expert shares their insights and experiences on the current challenges and trends in cybersecurity. The discussion covers topics such as HIPAA, data privacy, network security, cyber threats and attacks, and the latest technologies and strategies for safeguarding against them. The audience is encouraged to ask questions and engage in a dialogue with the panelists, providing a dynamic and informative exchange of ideas. The discussion will be moderated by a VGM’s CIO is aimed at educating business leaders, promoting awareness of cybersecurity issues, and encouraging collaboration among the participants to find solutions to the complex challenges facing the digital world today.

Moderator:
Jeremy Kauten, CIO and Senior Vice President of Information Technology, VGM Group, Inc.

Panelists:
Jay Bracken, Information Security Officer, VGM Group, Inc.
Steve Nyhuis, Contract Administrator and Senior Advisor, VGM & Associates
John Kemp, Executive Services, InfoTech Research Group

Drawing hundreds of visitors and offering over 20,000 square feet of newly renovated space, the exhibit hall is the heartbeat of the conference. Appetizers and drinks will be provided while you speak to VGM vendor partners and discover top products, new ideas, and the latest innovations in over 84 booths. 

Tuesday night will have something for everyone. If you’re a thrill seeker, you can jump on some coasters and scream your lungs out. If you’re looking to make some connections with key industry experts, you can do that too! Connections and Coasters will be at the new Lost Island Amusement Park and provide a one-of-a-kind Heartland experience! And yes, there will be some food and drinks too!

Starting and growing a successful ventilator program can be intimidating. How do you manage policies and procedures, manage the RTs, track data, acquire the equipment, and track preventative maintenance? What about accreditation? This presentation will outline the barriers to entry and resources available to start and/or grow a successful ventilation program. If you are starting from scratch or already have a program that your are looking to expand, this presentation is full of resources to help you grow and thrive. 

Your HME business is so much larger than just your showroom and offices. Your patients and customers start their journeys long before they ever step into your store. Representatives and customer support staff may be working from across town – or even across the country. Products, files, presentations, and more are constantly coming and going. Lindy Tentinger will help you get all of these different faces of your HME business pointed toward the same goals and working better together.

The use of back supports on wheelchairs has become the best practice for the prescription of wheelchair seating over the years. Research has shown benefits to wheelchair users in promoting postural alignment, postural stability, pain management, and upper extremity function. But what are the effects of the materials that make up the backrest? Have there been developments in these materials to offer even greater benefits to wheelchair users? This presentation will focus on the types of materials used in the construction of backrests (including the hardware, backshells, and contact surfaces) and their influences on skin and joint protection, trunk stability, and function. Case studies will illustrate how clients benefit from new developments in materials that provide immersion, temperature management, and vibration dampening while promoting lightweight, portable and aesthetic options.

Have you ever been in a conversation with a person or a team and one of your first thoughts is, "I am not sure what I am supposed to do here? What do they need from me?" Or do you find yourself wondering at times if you should lead, follow, or just get out of the way? It happens... and it probably happens more than you think or know. Identifying the type of leader you need to be in any given situation is critical to your organizational and business leadership success. Your ability to be the leader THEY need you to be builds trust, drives success, and breeds their development. This program promises to break some paradigms and inspire you to look deep inside to know who you are as a leader. It might get a little uncomfortable. But that discomfort will launch you to a new level of leadership success. Being emotionally aware and then choosing the right approach for the circumstances will make you a standout leader!!

In the HME industry, reimbursement can drive you crazy with vague policies, changing rules, and inconsistent approvals or denials. You second guess yourself even if you know you know it and many times have to confer with others to reconfirm your decisions. Don't hold it in, you need to talk about it. Join Ronda B. and Dan F. in the VERY INTERACTIVE session to discuss situations that drive us all crazy such as orders, repairs, ABNs, upgrades, and payment rates (allowables, SPA, and misc.). Come talk with Ronda and Dan and share your reimbursement challenges and successes. If we all talk about it, we can help each other on how to best cope with the crazy environment of insurance reimbursement. Don't be afraid; this will be a safe space!

This presentation aims to provide attendees with a comprehensive understanding of workers compensation and liability insurance and how they can protect their business from potential claims. Through a combination of lectures and interactive exercises, attendees will leave the presentation with the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed decisions about their business's insurance coverage.

Health plans have spent the past decade embracing value-based care. Home medical equipment suppliers are not there yet, but they have many opportunities to work with payers in an environment that rewards quality over quantity through greater collaboration, data-sharing, and aligning incentives on payment models, from fee-for-service to full risk. In this session, Vijay Kedar will describe steps suppliers and payers can take together to deliver high-quality, cost-effective home-based care.

This session will provide a general update on federal income tax law, best practices to prevent fraud in your organization, and business succession planning. I will open it up for any tax and accounting questions at the end.

The sales model for HME providers has changed drastically over the last few years, have you adapted? Now is the time to instill best practices for post-acute sales in a marketing that is ever changing. Successful sales teams migrate beyond sales accountability to a best-in-class sales performance model. One that combines multi-layered discipline, behavior changes, and data across the entire organization. With all the challenges faced in the market place, it is time to go back in sales disciplines for the future success of our business. This interactive co-presentation facilitated by Ty Bello and Dave Lyman will offer success stories, lessons learned, and how to grow sales.

Knowing that we have to begin shifting from fee-for-service mindset to fee-for-value, what does this mean to the HME provider? What role does HME play in this new patient centric, cost-conscious model? What are payers looking for in this new payment methodology? In this panel discussion, we will address these questions and more. Attend this session to learn the impact of value-based care on HME companies. Join Miriam as she moderates a group of experienced panelists, including a payer, provider, and an expert in third-party contracting. Hear success stories and pitfalls to avoid in this practical and candid session.

Panelists:

Rita Murtada, Sr. Director of Provider Relations and Network Management, HealthPartners, Inc.
Kris Srinivasan, MD, Vice President, Strategy and Business Development, RextorixHealth
Craig Douglas, Vice President of Payer and Member Relations, VGM & Associates
Alan Morris, Director of Research and Strategy, VGM & Associates

Examine real client examples where LUCI has unlocked never-before-realized opportunities for greater independence with powered mobility.

The leadership within HME organizations has gone through a period of significant change over the past decade.  Women have taken positions of management that were not available in the past. What did it take to make these moves to become trailblazers in the HME industry and move into roles of influence?  This panel will provide commentary, context and coaching on how to become a role model in not only HME but business.  What are their lessons learned?  If they could go back and change anything, what would they do differently?  What challenges did they face and how did they overcome them?   Learn from this dynamic panel of female leaders who empower their companies to be the best and how they can prepare the next generation of leaders along the way. 

Moderators:

Kim Bemus, Facilities Manager, VGM Group, Inc
Sarah Hanna, VP of Consulting Services, ACU-Serve Corp.

Panelists:

Sara Laures, Chief People Officer, VGM Group Inc
Katie Stevens, CEO, Reliable Medical Supply
Sherry Krug, VP of Business Development, Binson's Medical Equipment & Supplies

Staying up to date on legislation changes, new HCPCS codes, contractor updates, and billing instructions isn’t easy. In fact, managing all these changes in addition to caring for patients and running your business means important information may be missed. Now’s your chance to be in the know! In this session, Kelly and Ronda will get you up to speed on the important issues affecting the HME industry and you, the supplier, right now! These two will cover any billing updates, changes in coverage requirements, and everything in between!

Clinically managing patients has always been an added expense and is known as a value-added service, but it doesn't have to be. Managing patients remotely with the appropriate interventions and strategy can drive a clinical excellence model and a business model at the same time.

In this presentation, we’ll discuss the current state of the industry including what’s going for us and what we have working against us. We’ll also discuss what’s on the horizon, including opportunities for growth and realignment in the healthcare ecosystem as well as what might hurdles we might face moving forward.

Problems...we all have them! The real game changer comes when we know how to see a problem and then have the bold courage to do something about it. And we know how to make the best decisions. As leaders, one of your primary roles is to ensure that meaningful and timely decisions are made to help move the organization forward. You cannot shy away from discussing a problem of any kind! Solving problems and making the right decisions is the catalyst for growth, accountability, and people development. In this session, attendees will acquire a keen understanding of the decision-making process as well as tools to lead a team through the cycle. Using detailed processes, heightened awareness, and a few doses of humor, attendees will be well-equipped to take their organization to the next level!

Denials for complex rehab equipment have plagued the industry for years, and navigating the maze of getting the denial overturned and approved has long been a headache. Denials take extra time for the billing department, the ATP, and the clinician. And extra time leads to extra costs. In this course, we will talk through the top 10 denials (including Prior Authorization denials) seen in 2022-2023. We will ask the question is the denial valid, and talk through how to proceed with appeals and when to leverage evidence-based research and clinical input.

SEO. SEM. PPC. GA4. Keeping up with the latest marketing lingo, let alone understanding how to use it to help your business succeed, can be a true feat. In this session, you will learn how to increase visibility on search engines like Google using a combination of local, organic and paid search, and how to track success and optimize your campaigns using web analytics. 

Drawing hundreds of visitors and offering over 20,000 square feet of newly renovated space, the exhibit hall is the heartbeat of the conference. Speak to VGM vendor partners and discover top products, new ideas, and the latest innovations in over 84 booths. 

Investigators across stakeholder groups have been investigating new and alternative strategies for wheelchair coverage policies as part of a National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) funded Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program on Healthcare Policy and Disability. This session will share updates to date across core interrelated projects and seek commentary from session participants. The first project will share the findings of a comprehensive scoping review of the literature, results of a stakeholder survey on service delivery, and summary of discussions with policy experts. The second project will discuss progress on the development of standardized methods for wheelchair assessment. The third project will share preliminary analytics of datasets for example the Functional Mobility Assessment-Uniform Data Set Registry used to inform the development of new policy. Lastly, the fourth project will detail examples of potential CRT model attributes.

The huge backlog of appeals at the Administrative Law Judge was taking 5-6 years to get a hearing, so many suppliers started “giving up” instead of waiting. That was understandable. But now the backlog is resolved. Hearings are being held timely, and decisions rendered in just 90 days. This presentation will provide an overview of the current ALJ process along with some helpful tips that suppliers can implement before, during, or after the hearing that will increase the likelihood of getting a favorable decision.

Overview of Mechanical Insufflation Exsufflation Therapy, appropriate patients, and appropriate settings, followed by a demonstration of a typical therapy session.

KPIs are not always a one-size-fits-all solution to hitting goals outlined by your company. Metrics used in the industry need to be qualified against your company's nuances and reporting differentials. In this seminar, Sarah will discuss the questions you should ask when bringing outside benchmarks into your strategic plan. Questions such as: Who created the metric and how is it defined? How do you calculate your metrics and is it a different formulation than those given in the industry? This presentation will provide a framework of areas to evaluate to ensure the metrics chosen are realistic for your business.

Time management and productivity tools are abundant – from apps to books, to seminars, podcasts, and planners. In today’s fast-paced world, everyone is looking for ways to cram more activity into their days without getting overwhelmed and flustered. With so much to do, it’s difficult to stay up to date on the latest and greatest tips and tricks for productivity. This session is designed to busy people get up to speed with new and classic productivity frameworks and how to use them based on your individual work style and situation. We will also review the art and science of force-ranking to enable aligned goal and objective setting in your work and with your family. Effective application of time management and productivity frameworks can help you both achieve success AND also enjoy the journey along the way!

Many of the DME providers are in the wound care buisness wheter it be dressings, negative pressure wound therapy, compression and nutrition. We all encounter senarios that are a little bit grey, not black and white when it comes to patient situations. During this educational wound care session, Ronda Buhrmester (Senior Director of Reimbursement) and Heather Trumm BSN, RN, CWON (Director of Wound Care) will identify top wound care senarios that providers may expeience and how to work through them successfully according to the Medicare Medical Policy and local coverage determination.

Embark on a guided journey through VGM’s headquarters and fulfillment facility led by our captain, who is sure to tell you how VGM grew into the great business it is today and ways to maximize your membership. Login to the attendee portal, or see Guest Services to sign up! 

The HME industry has the attention of a lot of investors. If you are looking to expand your business, outside investors will likely perform a risk analysis and conduct a comprehensive due diligence review to determine the level of risk your business might pose. As part of the due diligence process, they are performing claim audits and compliance assessments that often result in errors or issues being identified that could negatively impact the valuation of your company, and in the worst of cases, make the investors walk away. However, having a comprehensive compliance process will help protect your organization in these situations. This presentation will discuss the due diligence process and what steps your organization can implement operationally to prepare.

This program will cover how to assist your patient in being adherent to their PAP treatment or an alternate to PAP therapy.

This course will guide providers and clinicians toward best practices for ultra-lightweight manual wheelchair (ULWMWC) recommendations for individuals whose body proportions and/or propulsion styles fall outside the norm. We will also discuss as a group, the consequences of common assumptions that often limit the ultimate functional outcome and potential of the client based on when you ‘meet’ them in their wheelchair journey. Is it a first wheelchair, or perhaps a fourth or fifth? Does it make a difference? This course will utilize the ICF model to assist the decision-making process, balancing evidence and functional outcomes, to be successful in the provision of ULWMWC seating/mobility solutions for the non-standard population. Case examples and clinical reasoning discussion will be used to identify the client’s individual limitations, goals, and to drive decision-making for configuration recommendations to promote functional outcomes, participation, and overall equipment satisfaction with a good person-technology match.

Would you rather retain your employee's within your organization, or would you like to find a way that THEY decide to extend their time with you? When we create an environment, from onboarding all the way through their lifecycle with your business, that proactively engages and develops them and results a net positive effect on the profitability of your operation. In this session, we will explore the steps you can take to create an environment where your staff can be engaged and decide on their own to extend their time with you. This is a different mindset than coming up with programs and processes that are designed to retain employees - we will explore the difference in mindset. The effect this has on your bottom line will be discussed as well.

By sharing real-life claims stories and the key lessons we have learned from them, we aim to assist VGM members in effectively implementing cost-saving risk management techniques. Our goal is to provide VGM members with a deeper understanding of proven methods for managing risk and reducing costs through these shared experiences.

VGM Group is proud to be named a Top Work Place in the state of Iowa by Des Moines Register, named an Employer of Choice by Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, and named Best Place for Working Parents. What’s our secret? Employee engagement! Attend this session to learn about VGM’s people strategy and ways we intentionally work to increase employee engagement throughout an employee’s lifecycle. Gain valuable insights that you can apply to your business today.

A new oxygen policy was implemented Jan. 2023. Now that we are several months into the policy, it's time to discuss more details and answer questions. With any changes to a policy, new developments are constantly learned. During this session, Ronda will review the new lessons learned in addition to important reminders.

By 2050, one in six people across the world will be age 65+, with life expectancy on the rise and people's opinions of where they want to age changing, how can we as caregivers accommodate this? How is it that we can promote independence and promote not just aging in place but an active lifestyle? This session will look to explore the megatrends taking place, the desires of the baby boomer generation, and how we can help accommodate them on their journey.

Building a solid book of referral sources across multiple markets is a numbers game with a lot of competition. How do you stack up against the competition? What are the tips and tricks to securing that coveted #1 HME provider spot for a referral source? How can you use data to better demonstrate your quality of service to a referral's patients? How do you effectively partner with distribution, vendors, and technology solutions? These questions and more will be explored as we hone in on effective strategies for targeting referral sources.

Sensor technology for wheelchairs has garnered a lot of interest in the last few years, with an increasing number of users expecting this technology to become a standard feature on their wheelchairs. In this session, you will hear from Dr. Pooja Viswanathan who invented blind spot sensors after over a decade of peer-reviewed research on “smart” wheelchairs. The blind spot sensors are being approved for funding across the country, creating new opportunities for independent mobility. Pooja will review funding tips, as well as several case studies and third-party peer-reviewed evidence that demonstrates the benefits of blind spot sensor technology. A live demonstration of the blind spot sensors will be conducted, and the advantages and disadvantages of this technology vs. other smart wheelchair systems will be discussed. The session will conclude with audience Q&A and discussion.

What better way to wrap up a trip to the Heartland Conference than taking part in an Iowa tradition of a State Fair! Take in the sights, sounds, and smells of the Iowa State Fair from the VGM Farm. Line up for fair activities such as ring toss or balloon pop, or show off your skills on a mechanical bull or in a pie-eating contest. And it wouldn’t be a fair without the food! Standard carnival foods will be available, as well as some special Iowa-inspired bites and beverages. And if we’re lucky, there will be animals to feed and pet.