Case Study: Mercy Health
Challenge
Standardize operations and establish efficient business practices that promote physician product autonomy while maintaining superior quality of care throughout Mercy Health.
Solution
Integrate a proven model, comprised of a solution-driven ancillary revenue program, which provides opportunities for expansion into Emergency Departments. The use of Group Purchase Organization pricing delivers Medicare patients competitive pricing on their prescribed equipment.
Results
Building on a successful total solutions offering from Breg, Mercy Health and its orthopaedic partners expanded the DME program in 2013. As a result, Mercy Health now provides DME services at each of its 17 locations.
Mercy Health’s current orthopaedic partners established Breg Impact’s DME ancillary revenue program in 2007. Since its inception, the programs have generated a profit and increased quality of care to its patient population.
Mercy Health provides comprehensive, expert orthopaedic care for more patients in Greater Cincinnati than any other health system. “Our goal has always been to connect the Cincinnati patient community to the best physicians and
care,” said Andrew Holtzapfel, Mercy Health’s Director of Durable Medical Equipment. “It is this focus on access that has driven Mercy Health’s growth so rapidly.”
In 2013, Mercy Health expanded its orthopaedic service across the Cincinnati market. These new partnerships provided the opportunity to utilize Breg Impact to implement an ancillary bracing program with Breg Vision® workflow management software. As a result, the Breg Impact program has increased revenue and provide additional opportunities for DME growth
in Mercy Health.
“Given their success with Breg Impact’s programs, we decided to implement the solutions across all of our practices,” Andrew said. The health system has established Breg Impact’s in-house DME program in its orthopaedic physician practice locations. It is currently evaluating Breg Impact’s stock and bill program, for its six emergency room departments. These two systems work together to consolidate and streamline Mercy Health’s quality product offering at these access points. The health system also takes advantage of Breg’s Premier contract for value pricing on products dispensed to patients throughout the system.
Andrew especially appreciates the program reporting he receives. “We are always up to date on our DME program,” he said. “We have a pulse on product dispensing and have just the right amount of product on hand to meet the needs for our patients. With tight inventory management, we don’t have unused product sitting around.”
“Mercy Health is a large healthcare system and our program is able to meet the needs of the many departments and physicians while maintaining excellent care. Our program complements the patient’s continuum of care by providing direct access to necessary equipment. Breg’s hybrid solutions program has proven to be valuable in bridging those needs into an efficient and successful program.”
Andrew Holtzapfel, MS, ATC
Director, Durable Medical Equipment
Mercy Health, Cincinnati, Ohio
“Mercy Health is a large healthcare system and our program is able to meet the needs of the many departments and physicians while maintaining excellent care. Our program complements the patient’s continuum of care by providing direct access to necessary equipment. Breg’s hybrid solutions program has proven to be valuable in bridging those needs into an efficient and successful program.”For Andrew, the biggest impact has been on patient care and convenience in the physician practices. With Breg Impact’s integrated solutions, there is just one point of care. Doctors write scripts that are filled on the spot. Patients are taught how to use the products, which is important for patient satisfaction.
“The Breg Impact team is a huge asset,” Andrew said. “They really understand the intricacies of our practice, how to make them more efficient, and how the processes of billing and insurance affect patient experience. Together, we are constantly looking for ways to adjust our workflow to make our process most efficient while maintaining compliance.”
By using Breg Impact to build a custom solution for in-office bracing, orthopedic clinics, stock and bill for ER and group purchasing agreements, Mercy Health has streamlined workflow, cut costs across the orthopaedic episode and provided high quality products and services to patients.
