Products & Technology
Tying it All Together
HME software systems serve up a strategic advantage as well as a safety net.
- By David Kopf
- Oct 01, 2010
Today’s HME providers find themselves having to integrate numerous difficult business processes into their daily workflow. They must maintain inventory. They must ensure the day’s deliveries are distributed. They must maintain equipment. They must carry out their billing and minimize their DSOs. They must contend with claims and documentations requirements. They must market their services to new patient groups and referral partners. And those are just a sample of the numerous, detailed oriented tasks providers must contend with.
And that is why HME software systems and services are so important to running effective HME businesses these days. While funding is down and regulatory demands on providers continue to increase, providers must find some way to develop new efficiencies, drive cost out of their businesses and hopefully identify and tap into new market opportunities.
As part of our annual round-up of software systems available to HME providers, HME Business has surveyed various business management features that software systems can tie together in one neat package:
- Claims/Billing – Billing tools, authentication, and processing capabilities.
- Reporting/Executive View – Overview screens and “dashboard” views that help providers manage their businesses.
- Inventory Management – Inventory management and control features, such as barcoding and scanning.
- Ordering – Order creation, entry, processing, automation features.
- Audits – Capabilities to help providers deal with increased RAC, CERT, ZPIC and other audit requests.
- PECOS – Features to help ensure claims are coming from referral partners entered in CMS’s PECOS database.
- Delivery Management – Delivery operations and optimization features.
- Marketing – Reports and other capabilities that help providers better reach out to patients and partners.
- Online Community – Tools to help providers communicate and share best practices with each other.
Ankota Healthcare Delivery Management (HDM)
Ankota, Inc.
www.ankota.com
800.909.9866
Years company has been in business: 3
Number of installed systems: 12
Type of System: A hosted, web-based/SAAS system
Features:
Claims/Billing: Designed to integrate with existing billing software
Reporting/Executive View: Reports on workforce utilization and productivity.
Inventory Management: Extends inventory to vans/trucks
Ordering: Has a delivery order entry interface and also accepts orders from other systems.
Audits: Provides real time tracking and various proof of delivery mechanisms.
PECOS: N/A
Delivery Management: Optimizes assignments and routes. Provides real-time delivery monitoring.
Marketing: FamilyConnect feature designed to keep family members in-theloop regarding their elder loved-one’s care
Online community: n/a
AR-Express
DIABCO – Healthcare Software Solutions
www.AR-Express.net
800-864-6210
Years company has been in business: 28
Type of System: A stand-alone system installed on-site
Features:
Claims/Billing: AR-Express features electronic billing for all primary and secondary insurances, including MSP. A table-driven set of business rules lets users define payor-specific validations of claims for the claim scrubbing process. Prior to claim processing, Medicare benefits can be confirmed using ME-First, DIABCO’s web-based eligibility service, which identifies HMOs, deductibles, and correct addresses.
Reporting/Executive View: The ‘Report Manager’ enables users to create new reports, or edit any of the 200 existing system reports. All of the system reports can also be ‘printed’ to an Excel spreadsheet and modified with this robust Microsoft Office tool. The reports are good for all levels of management. All reports can be filtered to show very specific information. Most important, all reports are self-explanatory. Dashboard is also available for executive overview to show trends, projections and at a glance views.
Inventory Management: The purchasing and receiving process updates inventory on-order, on-hand, and last costs for all products by manufacturer, and can produce bar coded price tags. Using the ePO feature will send purchase orders electronically to vendors. As patient orders are entered, inventory is depleted, and stock status reporting gives providers a reorder tool.
Ordering: Work orders produce all needed documents, and the system lets users define steps required for each type of product or service. Uncompleted steps reporting features provide a useful tracking tool. Recurring supply orders are highly automated for monthly, quarterly or any user-defined frequency.
Audits: Scanned documents allow easy access to patient records, delivery tickets and signed CMN’s. Filtered sales reports will show all active rental customers and product specific listings. The usage of the ‘List of Steps’ will ensure completion of required documentation.
PECOS: Specific physician data entry requirements ensure that PECOS listing has been checked before providing services.
Delivery Management: Barcoded delivery tickets and products are used to capture all outgoing delivery information using handheld barcode scanners. Barcodes are also used for retail sales with DIABCO’s POS-Success system. Even patients can be given barcoded “customer loyalty” cards for promotional purposes. Delivery to address other than home address is automatic during specified time period. Delivery tickets can be sorted by zip codes.
Marketing: Sales reports can be used to identify patients to market customized products. It provides the opportunity to inform patients/partners about additional products and services by using our VoiceGuide-IVR interactive voice response software. Specific reports by referral sources provide information to target new marketing and sales activities.
Online Community: In addition to the web Medicare Eligibility services, all software support for the system is handled via internet. Support issues and change requests are managed in a web database, and when resolved, answers are posted to a DIABCO’s web-based, searchable “Solutions” knowledgebase, which provides quick documentation of best practices and solutions to common problems, and lets users find answers quickly.
Brightree
Brightree LLC
www.brightree.com
888-598-7797, ext 5
Years company has been in business: 9
Number of installed systems: 1,250
Type of System: A hosted, web-based/SAAS system
Features:
Claims/Billing: Brightree automates all aspects of billing workflow. Features include: real-time eligibility, “same or similar” confirmation, fully automated electronic claims processing of individual and recurring bills, rejection/denial management, efficient processing of secondaries, and auto-payment posting.
Reporting/Executive View: Brightree’s Executive Dashboard and Business Scorecard give providers the tools to measure their business performance with real-time data, historical trend data, and a 30-, 60-, 90-day cash forecast. Dozens of standard reports and a custom report writer allow providers to create specific reports.
Inventory Management: Brightree’s integrated ordering and inventory tracking maximizes inventory turnover, tracks repair and maintenance and flags obsolete and superseded products. Brightree supports Internet-enabled handheld scanning devices to quickly, easily, and accurately help providers count warehouse items.
Ordering: Brightree’s web-based SaaS system centrally maintains and updates price tables and modifiers to ensure the creation of accurate and complete sales orders. Sales orders are automatically audited for completeness prior to delivery. An audit trail tracks and monitors changes to the chart.
Audits: Real time eligibility checks ensure claims are valid. Brightree provides analysis tools that allow rejection and denial information to be aggregated over time and cross referenced against procedure codes so providers can proactively address higher than usual claim issues and make corrections.
PECOS: Based on data provided by CMS, Brightree centrally updates and manages the physicians PECOS database. At the time of delivery confirmation, in the event that a doctor is not PECOS certified, a warning message is displayed alerting the biller of this risk.
Delivery Management: Brightree’s Point of Delivery and GPS functionality is integrated with the Brightree solution and supports a variety of industry standard ruggedized mobile handheld devices. Brightree’s POD makes each phase of the delivery work-flow efficient and completely documented.
Marketing: BrightSALES helps providers create and maintain a database of existing and prospective referral sources, schedule activity, and track results by marketing rep, referral source, and product group. It streamlines referral source management, contact management, and appointment scheduling.
Online Community: Brightree regularly posts guides, tips, industry news, and more to the main message center. Brightree hosts online lunch and learn sessions twice a month to share best practices and tips to faciltate full utilization of Brightree. Biannual customer appreciation events promote networking.
CPR+ for HME
Definitive Homecare Solutions Ltd.
www.cprplus.com
866-277-4876
Years company has been in business: 17
Number of installed systems: 600 systems/1,000 sites
Type of System: A stand-alone system installed on-site
Features:
Claims/Billing: CPR+ for HME includes contract setup tools to address Medicare and every commercial payer requirement, including items covered/ not covered, special coding requirements, and item substitutions. Additional features: holds for supporting documentation/authorizations, front-end edits for electronic claims, batch re-submissions, eligibility checks for Medicare and commercial, batch balance write-offs, and an A/R Manager for a single-screen, filterable work list for all or any portion of accounts receivable.
Reporting/Executive View: CPR+ provides an Executive Summary Report, daily statistics dashboard, and a web-portal dashboard to provide dashboard business metrics from anywhere, as well as the a host of customizable reports in the CPR+ Report Library.
Inventory Management: CPR+ for HME provides barcode-based inventory management for receiving, purchasing, and physical inventory. It extends barcode inventory management in the field to provide delivery technicians with the ability to assign equipment and serial numbers at the point of delivery.
Additional features: tracking across multiple inventory locations with par values by inventory location.
Ordering: CPR+ for HME provides one-click purchase orders for under stocked inventory, inventory usage reports to set target par values, one-step order automation for patient home delivery, and purchase order templates to save one or more completed purchase orders for regularly ordered items.
Audits: With claims holds and Medicare setup, CPR+ for HME provides tools to ensure that HME providers have met Medicare requirements to better withstand audit scrutiny. With integrated document imaging and filterable claims reports, CPR+ for HME empowers providers to answer audits inquiries efficiently.
PECOS: CPR+ for HME provides one-click verification of all of the HME provider’s physicians and referral providers against an up-to-date PECOS database, providing both reports of providers who are not enrolled and alerts at the time of order entry and claim creation.
Delivery Management: CPR+ for HME contains a route manager to automatically segment routes by delivery areas. Once routes are assigned, CPR+ extends inventory management to the point of delivery with barcoding while providing real-time GPS tracking of route progress and completed deliveries, the ability to edit delivery tickets in the field, and the ability to add new deliveries to in progress routes, and real-time confirmation as soon as the delivery is complete.
Marketing: CPR+ for HME provides HME providers with a web portal for patients to access the provider’s web site to obtain prior and current order information as well as to request re-orders or to add items to pending orders. It also provides a web portal for referral sources to refer patients conveniently over the web while providing the HME provider with the ability to easily add referred patients to CPR+ for HME. New patients/new orders by service line, sales rep, or referral source. Top ten reports for referral sources both by revenue and profitability.
Online Community: CPR+ for HME customers are automatically eligible to participate in the CPR+ listserv, an email based forum for an exchange of industry information, ideas and best practices among the CPR+ community. CPR+ provides an annual user conference to provide free training on new features as well as the opportunity to network and collaborate with their peers.
Fastrack Enterprise System for HME
Fastrack Healthcare Systems Inc.
www.onlyfastrack.com
800-520-2325
Years company has been in business: 17
Number of installed systems: 952
Type of System:
A stand-alone system installed on-site
A hosted system, but uses special client software
Features:
Claims/Billing: Fastrack provides On-Line billing to Medicare, Medicaid and more than 2,000 commercial carriers plus on-line eligibility, ERA auto cash posting, Same or Similar Equipment checking and Advanced billing edits help insure only clean claims are submitted. The system bills for retail, wholesale, facilities and Hospices as well as workers comp claims. Allows user to assign primary, secondary, tertiary or private pay by line item.
Reporting/Executive View: Fastrack offers an Executive Dashboard with key business indicators, a ScoreBoard that provides real time updated information on business processes including number of new orders/dollar value entered and processed, and a Business Intelligence tool for data mining designed to solve business problems including denials and to see how well referral sources are performing.
Inventory Management: Utilizing barcode-enabled wireless PDAs, warehouse personnel can receive orders electronically from the CSR for picking and confirming that the right product was selected to avoid delivery errors. Devices can also perform real time receiving, physical inventory and automate the delivery of products offering real time order confirmation from the field.
Ordering: Fastrack offers the ability to hold orders that do not meet billing or company requirements. System can schedule recurring supply orders with the ability to look ahead for upcoming inventory requirements, templates that auto populate order entry which is especially useful for respiratory setups, pre-set kits, automatic alerts that notify clients of any company policy, product requirements or special patient needs, user defined custom fields to capture virtually any information and extensive notes kept by user defined category. The CSR can create purchase requisitions for out of stock or special order items right from order entry for purchasing to follow-up on.
Audits: Fastrack provides the necessary audit reports and data capture to help ensure the provider is in compliance and can respond to an audit. Especially helpful is the Fastrack Electronic Patient record including the integrated Document Management system that provides easy access to the complete patient record.
PECOS: Fastrack links to CMS for client’s to receive daily updates of PECOS certified physicians. Automatically will check against physicians’ in the client’s database to make sure they are PECOS certified and if not provides a warning to the user.
Delivery Management: Fastrack offers the ability to route deliveries to optimize drive time, reduce the operating costs of the vehicles and improve customer satisfaction by providing estimate arrival times at the patient’s home. Using handheld PDAs or tablet PCs the driver has access to relevant patient information and orders. By reading bar codes on the products the driver can verify the right product is being delivered, collect COD amounts that get automatically posted and capture the patient’s signature. Orders can be confirmed in real-time, and devices can be used for equipment maintenance tracking and the completion of assessments.
Marketing: System allows the provider to establish multiple product categories, such as diabetic, so that they can target marketing campaigns to specific patients based on needs. Also tracks birthdays for sending out cards to personalize the business. Fastrack offers a Networking Web Portal for partners to have access to their patient’s information over the internet. Physicians and referral sources can enter new referrals, orders, schedules and check patient status based on pre-defined criteria.
Online Community: Fastrack offers live on-line training sessions that clients can actively participate in and an annual user conference that is designed to encourage networking between clients.
Healthcare Data Management System (HDMS)
Universal Software Solutions Inc.
www.universalss.com
810-653-5000
Years company has been in business: 12 years
Number of installed systems: 100+
Type of System: A stand-alone system installed on-site HDMS can be a stand-alone or hosted system, depending on client needs
Features:
Claims/Billing: Electronic claim submission to all accepting payors, analyzes rejections and edits for resubmission, improves billing process and streamlines workflow. Detailed claim history notes automatically created for each claim activity build custom reports to analyze your unique billing issues simplified month end closing process. The A/R Manager handles the creation of payer claims, claim submission, compliance and payment posting. It is where many of the customer service activities in HDMS logically flow into. The backbone of HDMS, A/R Manager is a specialized set of user configured tables designed to handle every billing scenario.
Reporting/Executive View: HDMS has a Reporting Foundation which gathers all data and puts into a detailed summary database for tracking and creating custom management reports encompassing all business aspects. A dashboard feature is also available.
Inventory Management: The HDMS Inventory and Warehouse module is a real-time, fully integrated product tracking tool. Provides an up-to-the-minute view of all the items in stock and on order. Tracks inventory between multiple locations. Product barcode labeling at the point of receiving. Software produces barcoded shelf labels. Uses two part serial number stickers to record deliveries quickly by attaching the sticker of the actual item delivered to the signed patient paperwork.HDMS Inventory aligns with all handheld scanning devices powered by Windows Mobile software.
Ordering: Automatically creates purchase orders for low stock items. VendorLink for HDMS creates and processes electronic purchase orders, routes them to vendors, allowing vendors to drop ship items directly to patients. Information automatically flows back to HDMS to complete billing process. VendorLink participating partners include ISG McKesson Independence, VGM and GEMCO.
Audits: HDMS automatically keeps track of all vendor transactions and patient deliveries. This allows providers to immediately provide auditors with exacting data on all transactions and compliance with Medicare guidelines. Automatic notes are taken that track submissions and allow auditors to follow a complete trial of the entire order process.
PECOS: HDMS allows import of physician registered PECOS database and automatically updates physician records in HDMS. Stops or restricts creation of orders and/or claims for product from a non-PECOS physician.
Delivery Management: Warehouse personnel see an electronic onscreen listing of work orders scheduled and unscheduled for delivery. They can select the orders for delivery, and organize their activities.
To streamline the routing, you can use the integrated Microsoft MapPoint software, to plan your deliveries in the shortest distance possible. Delivery tickets and other documents such as AOB’s, ABN’s or product training instructions are printed and automatically collated for each patient. Handheld devices powered by Windows Mobile technology are easily integrated into the HDMS system.
Marketing: HDMS provides a full line of referral tracking reports that allow users to identify new patients and setups. Salesmen can also be tracked allowing users to assign them to orders, physicians and referral sources. USSI is partnering with entities such as HealthCall which allows providers to automatically keep in contact with patients and their present needs. The HDMS Disease Management Module tracks patient goals and progress as they use the provider’s services.
Online Community: Universal Software Solutions participates in numerous user groups and steering committees which keep us informed of the latest HME guidelines and allows us a forum to share information and best practices with clients and colleagues.
MedAct
MedAct LLC
www.medactsoftware.com
800-326-0314
Years company has been in business: 24 years
Number of installed systems: more than 750 with over 12,000 users
Type of System: A stand-alone system installed on-site A hosted system, but uses special client software
Features:
Claims/Billing: MedAct provides end-to-end billing management from patient intake to collections. Patient intake includes an automated process for eligibility, PECOS verification and NPI Registry. Access to the Claim Status Inquiry (CSI) for same & similar is included to reduce claim denials. MedAct automates everyday billing and claim management tasks.
Reporting/Executive View: MedAction Dashboard gives insight for decision support as it relates to aging, cash flow, sales, and claims management. MedAct QuickBooks module is available for the total A/R view for financial management.
Inventory Management: MedAct has the total inventory management solution in the core product for purchasing, order processing and delivery management. Recurring sales, deliveries and pick up with warehouse management in one solution. The MedAct Warehouse Manager has barcode scanning capabilities for deliveries as well as inventory maintenance. MedAct integrates with UPS WorldShip and RoadNet Anywhere for automated fleet routing, shipping and delivery optimization.
Ordering: MedAct enables users end-to-end patient intake through order fulfillment as an automated total solution.
Audits: MedAct partners with Compliance Helper and Accreditation Helper for accreditation and compliance of JHACO standards. MedAct has the CBID Center to manage patients and providers in Competitive Bid areas (CBA). MedAct has the Accreditation Center feature which has the top 10 reports that auditors ask for during RAC, CERT and ZPIC audits. The MedAct Document Manager enables users to scan, file and save these most asked for reports and documents safely and securely for quick access.
PECOS: MedAct has an automated updated PECOS check during the patient intake process. No need to have multiple systems to check for PECOS updates and this increases accuracy.
Delivery Management: MedAct integrates with UPS WorldShip and RoadNet Anywhere for shipping and delivery management. This solution provides route and fl eet optimization with cost-effective shipping management.
Marketing: MedAct has specific reports that enable insight to top referral sources for sales effectiveness. Patient information management in MedAct is made easy for recurring sales, service, maintenance and alerts for reorders for good patient outcomes.
Online Community: MedAct Online Community has an online forum for customers to interact and share best practices for their businesses. MedAct hosts an annual user forum for customers and attends the state association conferences to support the HME industry as a whole.
MedFORCE Scan, MedFORCE D&R, MedFORCE WorkFLOW
MedFORCE Technologies Inc.
www.medforcetech.com
866-237-1190
Years company has been in business: 8
Type of System:
A stand-alone system installed on-site
A hosted, web-based/SAAS system
A hosted system, but uses special client software
Features:
Claims/Billing: MedFORCE D&R includes denial analysis and management tools. Imported ERNs from all payors automatically store a patient specific EOMB in each patients file. Providers reduce denials and DSO by utilizing detail analysis reports and executive overviews of denials and reimbursement data. Providers can get appeals out faster with just few clicks using our appeal tools and automated appeal cover sheets approved by the payors.
Reporting/Executive View: Providers use the MedFORCE denial and payment analysis dashboard to monitor reimbursement trends, denial issues and other data from payors. This analysis provides the tools to improve management of their revenue. With MedFORCE WorkFLOW dashboard and reporting providers improve productivity and management of their most expensive asset – their staff. The dashboard provides productivity and performance data as well as outstanding tasks by user, task type and status of task for any business process.
Inventory Management: N/A
Ordering: MedFORCE WorkFLOW can be used to automate the steps for order processing by defining and tracking who does what, when.
Audits: Audit requests require review of documentation on file. MedFORCE Scan provides the ability to easily access and / or export all documents needed for audit purposes. Tracking tools ensure the file has necessary documents and that all required signatures are on file. With MedFORCE WorkFLOW providers can ensure that all the required steps for compliance are followed and documented.
PECOS: N/A
Delivery Management: With MedFORCE WorkFLOW providers track all aspects of an order, from the first phone call to completion including orders that are not yet entered into the practice management system.
Marketing: N/A
Online community: N/A
Noble*Direct for Windows
Noble House – The Comprehensive Remedy
www.nobledirect.com
800-749-6700
Years company has been in business: 20+
Number of installed systems: 500+
Type of System: A stand-alone system installed on-site
Features:
Claims/Billing: Noble*Direct is easy to use and
includes all Medicare mandated and enhanced opera tional features. Providers can transmit electronically to Medicare, Medicaid
and more than 2,300 private carriers. Instant insurance verification can be processed individually or in batch mode. Included are full document scanning and retrieval, inventory control, pre-defined and custom document creation. In addition, NPI / PECOS registry interfaces, competitive bidding analysis and Quickbooks synchronization are included.
Reporting/Executive View: Variety of sales and A/R reports, historical analysis (Snapshot of Business), payment analysis by payer as well as ODBC-compliant database for third party interface.
Inventory Management: Barcoding of inventory items with scanner integration. Multiple branch and warehouse management for serialized inventory level tracking, on hand and committed stock reporting as well as maintenance control.
Ordering: Formal intake process for data collection, insurance verification and order entry. Order entry includes macro functions for frequently ordered accessory kits. Recurring billing and cap rentals are generated automatically. To assist in reducing denials, edit lists may be requested for claims entered but not yet processed. Claims with incomplete or inconsistent information are identified.
Audits: Document scanning and image retrieval is included which allows providers to scan and store important documents within each patient’s profile. These include completed AOB forms, doctor’s order forms, CMNs, proof of delivery and others. Many of these required forms are generated and stored within the patient profile automatically. Formal procedures for generation, receipt and storing of required documents allow providers to properly respond to audit requests and avoid costly penalties.
PECOS: Noble*Direct interrogates the PECOS database when new referral partners or transactions are entered. Warning messages appear if referral partners are not registered within the PECOS database.
Delivery Management: Delivery tickets may be generated either for individual patients or for groups of patients (e.g. for those supplies being delivered in the coming week). Noble*Direct integrates with GOOGLEMaps to provide routing and delivery assistance.
Marketing: Direct interface with Microsoft Word permits all required documentation as well as custom documents and letters to be generated and sent to those patients with email accounts. Flexible patient invoices and statements allow improved communication with patients which includes dunning notification on past due accounts and balances.
Online Community: Seamless integration with delivery services (FedEx, UPS, etc.) for proof of delivery management and tracking, electronic integration with “drop ship” distributors and electronic communication with various clearinghouses, payors and other services.
SystemOne
QS/1
www.qs1.com/hme
800-845-7558
Years company has been in business: 33
Number of installed systems: 1,108
Type of System::
A stand-alone system installed on-site
A hosted system, but uses special client software
Features:
Claims/Billing: Ability to insurance from a choice of 100 carriers per patient. Almost unlimited patient, doctor, carrier and item notes that allow the user to define custom forms that can be printed on demand or automatically with a delivery ticket. Ability to track dataes when doctor documents are printed, returned and expired. Claims are billed directly to Medicare and 38 state Medicaids and Medical at no charge per claim or charge per 835 / ERA.
Reporting/Executive View: SystemOne allows the user to simly and easily change the filter or select criteria and the sort criteria on all standard reports. The user can save up to 99 different versions of each standard report. Our standard integrated customer report generator allows you to create custom reports that can be further manipulated by Crystal Reports, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access Inventory Management: SystemOne’s inventory management includes ability to handle sale, rental and loaner items. It handles serial numbers, asset control numbers and lot numbers. Inventory can be looked up by any one of ten ways including by item code, item description, manfuacturer, UPC bar code and six additional ways. SystemOne includes the ability to track inventory quanties by location and transfer inventory between locations. SystemOne includes integrated purchase orders and the creation of autoatic purchase orders. Drop Shipping that includes drop shipping to Invacare Supply Group and McKesson.
Ordering: SystemOne allows you to enter not only orders for sell and rental items but also for loaner items. SystemOne can provide quotes that doe not effect inventory or accounts receivable. SystemOne includes a resupply reminder that creates an on screen reminder call list that allows you to call your existing patients to easily refill their supply items. This feature is enhanced with the HME industry’s only fully integrated IVR which allows patients to call in 24 hours a day and reorder supply items. The IVR software also interfaces to the resupply reminder feature and automatically places respply reminder calls to all patients with supplies.
Audits: SystemOne has integrated to it the ability to modify the audit featues offered by the softare. These audit features can be established by major carrier types: Medicare, Medicaid, BC/.BS, commercial insurance and patient responsibility. Users can choose from fields to provide one of three respones: “You will be notified if there is a problem;” “You will not be able to save an order if there is a problem;” “You will not be able to transmit the order if there is an error.” In addition, SystemOne knows which items require a KX modifer and monitors the receipt of documentation. Once all documentation is received, the KX modifer is added and all documentation holds are released.
PECOS: PECOS is a field that can be activated in the audit area of SystemOne. PECOS numbers can be simily and easily looked up just like NPI numbers for each doctor.
Delivery Management: SystemOne has integrated to it a Delivery Module that allows you to assign orders to drivers, create driver manifests and monitor which items have and have not been delivered. Two optional features are also available. The first optional feature is the utilization of tablet PCs for drivers. These tablet PCs have a real time connection back to the QS/1 server in the office or at the data center. This lets drivers to see patient data in real time, and new orders that may have been added.
Marketing: SystemOne has numerous user definable fields that can be used for reporting on patient products used, revenue by item category / department, revenue by referral source, revenue by doctor, number of referrals by doctor and date of last referral by a doctor. Our extensive standard custom list program allows you to create almost any maketing report not already included in SystemOne.
Online Community: QS/1 offers a full array of online features available in our customer sevice area. These include training and support tools.
TIMS Software
Computers Unlimited
www.cu.net
Years company has been in business: 32
Type of System:
A stand-alone system installed on-site
A hosted, web-based/SAAS system
Features:
Claims/Billing: Provides automated electronic CMN and authorization processing. Supports secondary and tertiary insurances. Integrates with Zirmed for complete revenue cycle management, including eligibility verification, claim validation, denial management, EOB explanations and ERN automation.
Reporting/Executive View: Includes standard and customizable reports for all business needs, plus ad hoc data analysis with search, filter and sort capabilities. Monitors goal performance, manages workflow or updates customers via scheduled reports automatically e-mailed to individuals or groups.
Inventory Management: Supports single and multiple warehouses and bin locations. Bar code tracking for supplies, medical gases and rental equipment, including lot number tracking and recalls. Handles rental equipment tracking and repairs. Offers wireless warehouse management for cycle counting, picking and receiving.
Ordering: Enter rentals, supplies and gas cylinders. Schedule and track recurring delivery orders. Access complete patient information and order history. View automated inventory and billing warnings. Manage backorders. Complete payments at the point of sale. Import orders generated by medSage Technologies.
Audits: N/A
PECOS: Able to upload the CMS PECOS-certified physician file into TIMS so that PECOS enrolled physicians are marked as such.
Delivery Management: Offers built in route optimization. Review and shuffl e deliveries between trucks and ship dates. Provides mobile delivery integration for rental equipment setup/pickup, supplies and medical gases. Accommodates real–time on site updates, as well as automated alerts and one click upload and download.
Marketing: N/A
Online community: Computers Unlimited relies on customer input for new development. Users direct online discussion forums and steering committee dialogues and enjoy active exchange with development and support management. Online communities include discussion groups on corporate customer access site, Yahoo Groups, Linked In and Facebook. CU also publishes frequently on Twitter and YouTube.
This article originally appeared in the October 2010 issue of HME Business.