How Do You Choose the Right Provider for You
One thing we have learned after providing care to over 100,000 skin integrity patients is that not all providers are alike. Today, there are many “wound care companies” eager for your business. We have compiled some items that you may want to consider when shopping around for a new company.
Some companies are more polished than others. They show up in your office with shiny new folders, dazzling presentations, interesting graphs and promise you the world to get in the door. Once in the door, it is often difficult to remove yourself from the contract or the provider. If you are looking for a patient centric provider that cares more about the patient, YOUR reputation and YOUR survey results, consider the following.
*What is their wound knowledge and experience? I would put myself and Nicole Lachman up against any physician in the country with our wound expertise. Just because they have a pulse does not make them a wound consultant.
•The provider should never charge you for their services, send a resident to collections for co-pays, or collect deductibles.
•The provider should NEVER have to justify NOT doing a debridement or surgical procedure. This is an immediate red flag they are looking to keep your wounds longer by continuously sharp debriding. There is a time and a place of debridement, but it should not be the first choice. There are many quality products that can heal a wound without excessive, painful sharp debridement. (They get a higher reimbursement every time they pull out a scalpel!)
•The provider should see whatever resident you want them to see, regardless of payer status. There should not be a quota of patients to see (i.e. so many new patients per week, or a "must see this many patients."
•Is the provider willing to document in your system to save your staff valuable time and reduce the opportunities for errors?
•Will the company and the provider defend you when the survey team comes and questions the wound care provided?
*Do their profits go back to their providers....or do they pay marketers or corporate heads.
If these questions are forefront in your mind when choosing a provider, please call us. One of our experts can help you work through the proper questions to ask. Do not be mesmerized by their dog and pony show. In the end, do they care about your residents and your staff? Or do they just care about their bottom line?
