From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article discusses the definitions and types of home medical equipment (HME), also known as durable medical equipment (DME), prosthetics and orthotics (DMEPOS).
Contents
1 HME / DMEPOS
2 Types of home medical equipment
3 Obtaining and using home medical equipment
4 Insurance
5 External links
HME / DMEPOS
Home medical equipment is a category of devices used for patients whose care is being managed from a home or other private facility managed by a nonprofessional caregiver or family member. It is often referred to as "durable" medical equipment (DME) as it is intended to withstand repeated use by non-professionals or the patient, and is appropriate for use in the home.
Medical supplies of an expendable nature, such as bandages, rubber gloves and irrigating kits are not considered by Medicare to be DME.
Within the US medical and insurance industries, the following acronyms are used to describe home medical equipment:
DME: Durable Medical Equipment
HME: Home Medical Equipment
DMEPOS: Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies
Types of home medical equipment
Air ioniser
Air purifier
Artificial limb
Breast protheses
Cannula
Commodes
CPAP Continious Positive Airway Pressure
Crutch
Diabetic shoes
Dynamic splint
Enteral nutrition
Elevating toilet seat
Infusion pump
Nasal cannula
Nebulizer
Orthosis
Oxygen concentrator
Patient lift
Positive airway pressure (CPAP)
Prosthesis
Respiratory Assist Devices
Seat Lift
Walkers
Wheelchair
Obtaining and using home medical equipment
For most home medical equipment, a patient must have a doctor's prescription for the equipment needed; this is not always true for minor HME such as walkers or canes.
The physician may then recommend a supplier for the home medical equipment, or the patient will have to research this on their own. HME / DMEPOS suppliers are located throughout the country; for suppliers of oxygen and other critical medical equipment, Medicare rules require the supplier to only serve patients within a fixed distance, to ensure their ability to deliver supplies and maintain equipment in a timely fashion. For most areas of the US this results in a great number of local HME / DMEPOS suppliers available to the patient in their immediate area.
There is no established typical size for HME / DMEPOS suppliers. Supply companies include very large organizations such as WalGreens and Invacare to smaller local companies operated by sole proprietors or families. A new evolution in the Home Medical Equipment arena is the advent of internet retailers such as US Medical Aid who are operating with extremely low margins and cutting the ultimate cost for end consumers. In all cases, however, strict rules and laws governing HME / DMEPOS suppliers apply.
Once a patient or caregiver selects an appropriate HME / DMEPOS supplier, he/she presents the supplier with the prescription and patient's insurance information. HME / DMEPOS suppliers maintain an inventory of products and equipment, so fulfillment of the prescription is rapid, much like a Pharmacy.
The HME / DMEPOS supplier is obligated to perform certain functions when providing home medical equipment. These include:
Proper delivery and setup of the equipment
Ensuring the home environment is suitable and safe for proper usage of the equipment
Training the patient, family and caregivers on the proper usage and maintenance of the equipment
Providing 24-hour contact information in the event of equipment malfunction or other emergency
Informing the patient and/or caregiver of their rights and responsibilities
Providing periodic maintenance services (e.g., refilling oxygen, servicing equipment, etc.)
Notifying the patient or caregiver of any changes in insurance
All HME / DMEPOS suppliers are required to comply with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to protect patients' confidentiality and records.
Insurance
Home medical equipment is typically covered by patient's healthcare insurance, including Medicare (Part B). In order to properly code home medical equipment for billing, the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System HCPCS is utilized. As of 2007, under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, providers of HME/DMEPOS will be required to become third-party accredited to standards regulated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in order to continue eligibility under Medicare Part B. This effort aims to standardize and improve the quality of service to patients provided by home medical equipment suppliers.
External links
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services - DME page
Home Healthcare Dealer Provider - DME industry journal
FAQ on CMS accreditation requirements for HME / DMEPOS suppliers
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_medical_equipment"
Categories: Medical equipment Medicare and Medicaid (United States)
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details.)
Monday, July 14, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Adult home health care
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Adult home care is health care or supportive care provided in the individuals home by healthcare professionals or by family and friends (also known as caregivers, primary caregiver, or voluntary caregivers who give informal care). Often, the term home care is used to distinguish non-medical care or custodial care, which is care that is provided by persons who are not nurses, doctors, or other licensed medical personnel, whereas the term home health care, refers to care that is provided by licensed personnel. Non medical home care include some of the following elements; Adult home care, care giving, home health care equipment & supplies, home health supplies & equipment, home medical equipment & supply, home medical supplies & equipment. In the US "Home care" and "home health care" are phrases that are used interchangeably regardless of whether the person requires skilled care or not. More recently, there is a growing movement to distinguish between "home health care" for skilled nursing care and "home care" for non-medical care.
The home care concept is to make it possible for people to remain at home rather than use a nursing home. Home Care providers help client's in their own home. These services may include some combination of professional health care and basic everyday assistance.
Professional Home Health services might include medical or psychological services, wound care, medication, pain management, disease education, physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy. Basic everyday living assistance services include help with daily tasks such as Meal Preparation, Medication reminders, Laundry, Light Housekeeping, Errands, Shopping, Transportation, and Companionship.In the United States and other parts of the world, the descriptions are very similar.
Estimates for the U.S. indicate that most home care is informal with families and friends providing a substantial amount of care. For formal care, the health care professionals most often involved are nurses followed by physical therapists and home care aides. Other health care providers include respiratory and occupational therapists, medical social workers and mental health workers. Home health care is generally paid for by health insurance, public payers (Medicare, Medicaid), or paid with the individuals own resources.
Activities of daily living (ADL) have six activities (bathing, dressing, transferring, using the toilet room, eating, and walking) and reflects the person's capacity for self-care.
Instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) has six daily tasks (light housework, preparing meals, taking medications, shopping for groceries or clothes, using the telephone, and managing money) that enables people to live independently in the community. Help that an individual may have received from persons who are not staff of the agency (for example, family members, friends, or individuals employed directly by the patient and not by the agency) could be home maintenance or lawn-care.
Adult home care is health care or supportive care provided in the individuals home by healthcare professionals or by family and friends (also known as caregivers, primary caregiver, or voluntary caregivers who give informal care). Often, the term home care is used to distinguish non-medical care or custodial care, which is care that is provided by persons who are not nurses, doctors, or other licensed medical personnel, whereas the term home health care, refers to care that is provided by licensed personnel. Non medical home care include some of the following elements; Adult home care, care giving, home health care equipment & supplies, home health supplies & equipment, home medical equipment & supply, home medical supplies & equipment. In the US "Home care" and "home health care" are phrases that are used interchangeably regardless of whether the person requires skilled care or not. More recently, there is a growing movement to distinguish between "home health care" for skilled nursing care and "home care" for non-medical care.
The home care concept is to make it possible for people to remain at home rather than use a nursing home. Home Care providers help client's in their own home. These services may include some combination of professional health care and basic everyday assistance.
Professional Home Health services might include medical or psychological services, wound care, medication, pain management, disease education, physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy. Basic everyday living assistance services include help with daily tasks such as Meal Preparation, Medication reminders, Laundry, Light Housekeeping, Errands, Shopping, Transportation, and Companionship.In the United States and other parts of the world, the descriptions are very similar.
Estimates for the U.S. indicate that most home care is informal with families and friends providing a substantial amount of care. For formal care, the health care professionals most often involved are nurses followed by physical therapists and home care aides. Other health care providers include respiratory and occupational therapists, medical social workers and mental health workers. Home health care is generally paid for by health insurance, public payers (Medicare, Medicaid), or paid with the individuals own resources.
Activities of daily living (ADL) have six activities (bathing, dressing, transferring, using the toilet room, eating, and walking) and reflects the person's capacity for self-care.
Instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) has six daily tasks (light housework, preparing meals, taking medications, shopping for groceries or clothes, using the telephone, and managing money) that enables people to live independently in the community. Help that an individual may have received from persons who are not staff of the agency (for example, family members, friends, or individuals employed directly by the patient and not by the agency) could be home maintenance or lawn-care.
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