The fax machine is humming again. A new order just came through—pages slightly skewed, some text cut off, clinician signature faint but maybe usable. Your intake team does what they always do: Open the fax, scan for patient info, try to decipher what equipment is being ordered, and figure out whether this is something you can even act on today.
You know that moment when you realize things don’t have to be as complicated as they’ve always been?
Ever read another LinkedIn post about how AI is transforming work and think:
The rise of home-based treatment has transformed U.S. healthcare, enabling millions of patients to manage chronic conditions with fewer lifestyle restrictions and logistical challenges.1 But none of that would be possible without home medical equipment (HME)—the range of innovative products that support patients in their home environment.
Outdated HME ordering systems could be costing you $40 per order—and the right technology can help you reclaim it. From inefficient manual processing to lost orders, fax-based orders may be the leading cause of revenue leakage for HME providers.
Digitization is the future of DME ordering—but how should clinicians and HME providers adapt? Recent Senate efforts suggest ePrescribing could become mandatory in the coming years,1 while long-standing frustrations with fax-based orders have already driven a shift toward digital-first orders.
Patients with chronic conditions often rely on durable medical equipment (DME), but outdated ordering processes are letting them down. Fax-based orders and manual order processing systems leave many waiting in uncertainty for their equipment; one study found that over 54.4% of hospital case workers “always” or “often” had issues accessing basic DME items for Medicare beneficiaries.1
Over 2.5 million Americans rely on durable medical equipment (DME) to give them dignity and autonomy while suffering from a range of chronic, often debilitating conditions.1 But navigating DME ordering, coverage, and delivery remains complex for patients and providers alike.
.png)
Even across health systems with robust EMR investment, ordering home medical equipment for patients continues to be a paper-based process, leading to delayed discharges, documentation burden for clinicians, and sub-optimal outcomes for patients. Adoption of DME ePrescribing empowers providers with simple workflows, transparency into health plan requirements, and reliable delivery. But how should you begin this digital transformation at your health system?
