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Continuum of Care Conference at Medtrade
Patrick Dunne, president/CEO, HealthCare Productions, gave an update from the 6th Oxygen Stakeholders Meeting held last May 2006. Dunne explained that the meeting considers emerging issues and problems in long term oxygen therapy (LTOT) prescribing, reimbursement, accessibility and related matters. Dunne reviewed the 13 recommendations that came out of that meeting, which include seeking funding to evaluate outcomes and cost effectiveness, incorporating LTOT into disease management programs, urging CMS to support payment policies to ensure access to innovative technologies, and an ongoing performance improvement program for all processes involved in LTOT. As far as reimbursement was concerned, “Things aren’t going to get better,” said Dunne, and he cautioned that “pay-for-performance” could be next on the horizon. The Continuum of Care conference offered accredited programs in respiratory therapy, sleep-disordered breathing and other home care specialties.
