The Parachute Health Blog

As the world adapts to a new normal, we at Parachute Health have had amazing opportunities to connect more with our users, partners and each other! 

When PointClickCare needed to reduce waste, slash paperwork, and improve efficiency and patient care across its network of skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), they knew that modernizing their DME (durable medical equipment) and supplies ordering process was an important part of achieving that goal — and Parachute Health was ready to help.

When a home health worker requested a clinician signature by fax to connect a patient to vital oxygen therapy, the signature was stalled for days and the patient was left waiting for almost a week. A switch to eSigning on the Parachute Platform got the order unblocked and the patient on track to receive vital care in less than 2 hours. No patient should be left gasping for air because a piece of paper doesn’t get where it’s supposed to go. Parachute Health’s ePrescribing can help eliminate HME / DME order confusion, encourage visibility and accountability, and stop delays before they start.

Clinicians are looking for more efficient ways to get needed equipment and supplies to their patients without losing time to excessive paperwork. Parachute Health was built with input from many healthcare providers and suppliers active in the DME ecosystem. We listen to and test with a range of end users at every step of the development process. The result is a product that accommodates many diverse ePrescribing and eSigning workflows that over 50,000 referral facilities have come to rely on.

In an April report, the American Hospital Association (AHA) shared new data on rising hospital costs. Labor as well as equipment and supplies were two areas where costs ballooned compared to pre-COVID rates. At the same time, DME and supplies ordering has long been a segment of healthcare plagued by waste, inefficiency, and frustration due to over-reliance on dated technology. This translates to more staff hours spent ordering DME, as well as confusing, bureaucratic processes that make it hard for hospitals, health plans, and suppliers to collaborate, minimize waste and maximize value. The Parachute Platform’s best-in-class ePrescribing for DME and supplies slashes time spent on orders, reduces repeated order paperwork and phone follow-ups for stressed healthcare workers, and provides the transparency necessary to ensure maximum value and proper payment for every stakeholder.

Faxing is an inefficient and unreliable way to order medical equipment and supplies for patients, so why is the industry slow to transition to ePrescribing? In a HomeCare Magazine opinion piece, we discuss the barriers to adoption and how to overcome them, with a focus on how to look past faxing to a comprehensive technology solution. We advocate for a platform grounded in transparency, accountability, and simple, purpose-driven workflows to improve ordering practices and patient outcomes.

When it comes to DME orders, a lot of variables can impact wait times for providers and their patients. In particular, wait times for doctors’ signatures, the length of time it takes to submit orders for doctors to sign, and time to order acceptance on the supplier side can contribute to massive delays. The Parachute Platform combines the power of fast order submission, speedy eSigning, and quick, reliable order acceptance to achieve best-in-class ordering speeds and consistently clean, complete orders—with most orders on the path to fulfillment in a day or less.

Complete documentation for DME orders is critical for getting needed equipment and supplies to patients through their health benefits, but putting together all the required information is difficult. Parachute Health has spent six years listening to the most qualified experts we could find: the providers and suppliers who know healthcare inside out and are sick and tired of endless paperwork and long delays that block patients' access to care. We’ve also looked closely at payer requirements across Medicare, Medicaid, and private health plans. We built the Parachute Platform with all these needs and requirements in mind to address documentation pain points, so that clean and complete orders are submitted every time, with all the information needed to fill them.

Managing diabetes can be hard, but with timely care, proper tools, and education, it doesn't have to feel that way. Parachute Health empowers providers with delightfully simple DME ePrescribing for all the medical equipment and supplies patients need to manage their diabetes. Facilities can order from their preferred suppliers, while guided ordering means the script is complete before it's sent so that suppliers can accept and fill orders right away. The bottom line is that when orders are placed on the Parachute Platform, patients receive them 85% faster and real-time order status visibility empowers providers to facilitate better care coordination.

Meet Parachute Health Hidden Hero Kristen Mallon, LCSW, a geriatric social worker at Maimonides Medical Center. We were delighted to catch up with her and learn a little about how she got started, what makes her tick, and who her own heroes are.