DMEPOS suppliers often are cited during a survey for failing to meet performance management requirements established by DMEPOS Quality Standards of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

One performance management standard commonly cited during a survey for ACHC DMEPOS Accreditation is DRX6-3C. This standard specifies that suppliers seek and document feedback on the quality of their operations and services.

Frequently overlooked is the requirement to collect and document input from a DMEPOS organization’s personnel and referral sources.

ACHC Standard

Standard DRX6-3C: Performance Improvement (PI) activities include satisfaction surveys.

• The PI Plan identifies the process for conducting client/patient satisfaction surveys.
• The organization seeks input from personnel and referral sources as part of their performance improvement process to improve care/services.

CMS DMEPOS Quality Standards (Section 1, E) and ACHC Accreditation Standards do not stipulate how to collect input from personnel and referral sources. Input/feedback can be obtained in various ways, and DMEPOS suppliers can choose the methods that work best for their organization. For example:

• Personnel input can be captured during annual evaluations or via team meetings or anonymous surveys. Information received must be documented in PI reports.
• Input from referral sources can be captured by asking questions when communicating with those sources or by conducting phone surveys. Information received must be documented in PI reports.

Tips for Compliance

• Collect input/feedback from personnel and referral sources. Track it, look for trends, and document information received.
• Survey, track, and trend input from personnel and referral sources as a PI activity.
• Use data collected in PI activities. Track and trend results. Identify an acceptable threshold and identify corrective action if the threshold is not reached.