Drive Medical

Let us show you how the right wheelchair can improve patient comfort and safety as well as increase provider profitability.

When patients spend a lot of time sitting in a wheelchair, they are at an increased risk for developing pressure ulcers. As an HME provider, you only have two goals in mind – 1) providing the best care for your patients and 2) running your business as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. One of the best ways to help accomplish these goals is to provide your patients with the appropriate wheelchair support surfaces and accessories. Purchasing a wheelchair that comes with many of the comfort and safety accessories will enable you to properly service the patient while maximizing your profitability.

Improving Overall Patient Comfort, Safety and Independence

Wheelchair comfort and safety accessories can help increase a patient’s sitting tolerance in the chair, improve posture and help prevent pressure ulcers, making everyday activities more comfortable and enjoyable. These accessories increase comfort and safety when wheelchair seat and back cushions are used, including adjustable-height arms for positioning the arms in a more natural position and anti-tippers to keep the wheelchair from tipping over due to the raised center of gravity.

When patients are more comfortable in their wheelchairs, they may ultimately feel better, experience less pain, become more engaged in everyday activities, have a reduced risk for complications and enjoy greater quality of life. The good news is that if a patient qualifies for a wheelchair, he or she also automatically qualifies for many wheelchair accessories. Utilizing a wheelchair that comes standard with anti-tippers, wheel lock extensions, heel loops, positioning belt and adjustable-height armrests makes it easy for you to make this a reality for your patients.

Reduce Operational Costs and Increase Profitability

In addition to providing patient comfort, safety and independence, these comfort and safety accessories can ultimately reduce the number of complaints and possibly even the number of costly service calls for the provider. Comfortable patients often end up renting their equipment longer, which increases wheelchair rental revenue. Longer wheelchair rentals will result in fewer pickups for the provider, which ultimately helps to reduce operational costs.

In addition, when a wheelchair is equipped with cushions and accessories, not only is the patient more safe, secure and comfortable, but the provider now qualifies for reimbursement for all of these items. This can ultimately maximize the provider’s profits.

For instance, if a provider purchases a wheelchair that comes standard with anti-tippers, wheel lock extensions, heel loops, positioning belt and adjustable-height armrests, the provider can be reimbursed for those accessories separately, maximizing reimbursement as well as patient satisfaction.

As denoted in the charts below, a wheelchair without accessories provides minimal reimbursement in Month 1; however, a wheelchair equipped with these accessories can be $247.27 more profitable in Month 1 than a wheelchair without accessories.

• Reimbursed accessories include: anti-tippers, wheel lock extensions, heel loops, positioning belt and adjustable height armrests
• Reimbursement rates based on national average
• Round 1 & 2 CBA’s and Rural Rates may vary