Via a partnership with CleveMed and a new PAP management service, the sleep network aims to help sleep practices improve their efficiency and clinical outcomes.
From insurance company requirements to evolving technology and unique patient needs, the modern healthcare environment can present constant challenges for sleep medicine physicians. With a new partnership with CleveMed, a provider of cloud-based home sleep apnea testing (HSAT), and the launch of a new PAP management service, Welltrinsic aims to help sleep practices improve their efficiency and clinical outcomes.
Partnership with CleveMed
Welltrinsic, a national network connecting sleep physicians and accredited centers, and CleveMed have entered into an agreement to expand Welltrinsic’s membership services. Welltrinsic will offer HSAT solutions to its members using CleveMed’s technologies and mail-order programs exclusively. The HSAT service will provide members the following two options for implementing HSAT: providing testing without the requirement for capital outlay or purchasing equipment at discounted prices. Specifically, in addition to buying monitors at competitive pricing, Welltrinsic members will now have access to SleepView Direct, which will allow them to quickly acquire home studies without incurring any upfront cost or change of workflow.
Lawrence J. Epstein, MD, president and CEO of the Welltrinsic Sleep Network, says via e-mail, “Welltrinsic members get access to CleveMed’s on-demand HSAT acquisition service at discounted prices as well as Welltrinsic-specific discounts on any purchases of CleveMed equipment.” The CleveMed cloud-based HSAT acquisition service is designed to make it easy for members to add HSAT to their practices, reduce start-up costs and disruptions, and simplify use since it can be accessed from any computer with Internet access, according to Epstein.
With CleveMed’s technologies and mail-order programs, Welltrinsic members will get flexibility to choose how best to add HSAT to their practices. “Using the HSAT acquisition service allows them to add HSAT without capital expense or the need to devote space or personnel to the new service. For those practices who want to manage all aspects of HSAT, they can be more cost efficient utilizing the Welltrinsic discount to purchase CleveMed’s state-of-the-art equipment,” Epstein says.
“Welltrinsic was looking for an HSAT solution that would allow sleep practices to add this service in a way that would be cost efficient and add new volume. CleveMed wanted to find a way to connect high quality sleep practitioners with non-sleep practices that are searching for a way to care for their patients who have sleep apnea,” Epstein says. “The partnership allows both of us to achieve our goals.”
PAP Management Service
The practice-based PAP management program is also new from Welltrinsic, and according to Epstein, it is one of the most important initiatives the company has undertaken. The new service, a collaboration between the sleep practice and Welltrinsic, is geared towards all member sleep centers and sleep practices. The program aims to give sleep medicine physicians greater input into clinical care, improved access to clinical data, and also provide a new revenue source for their practice.
Welltrinsic will provide PAP equipment and resupply equipment warehousing and inventory management. The sleep medicine practice evaluates and diagnoses the patient, initiates therapy, and provides follow-up care. Epstein explains that in addition, Welltrinsic partner Somnoware can provide the practice a comprehensive sleep data management system that can help with compliance management, tracking inventory, billing and documentation, and communication.
The PAP management program may have a number of benefits for both patients and sleep medicine specialists. According to Epstein, sleep specialists will have greater input into clinical care and access to all outcome data by providing PAP-related services in their practices, which may lead to improve patient adherence, increased patient satisfaction, and improved quality of delivered care. In addition, implementation of the program will also provide new revenue sources for sleep practices through setup and resupply fees as well as increased clinic volume.
Welltrinsic members will receive assistance developing their program and will be provided systems solutions specific to their practices, in addition to a variety of equipment options to allow them to match therapy to the needs of patients. Members will also have access to other clinical tools, such as the Night Shift sleep positioning device, and receive exclusive discounts on American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) accreditation for both their center and PAP management accreditation.
“The management of patients on PAP therapy for sleep apnea is an area requiring improvement. The traditional model of separating clinical care from PAP management leads to fragmentation of care and poor outcomes,” Epstein says. “The Welltrinsic PAP Management Service allows the sleep physician to bring oversight and provision of care into the sleep practice, improving quality of care and access to adherence information.”
New Initiatives for a Bright Tomorrow
With a consistently changing healthcare landscape, the development of the new PAP management service and the partnership with CleveMed to expand services for members may be a positive step in helping sleep medicine physicians not only adapt but also drive revenue and improve patient outcomes. Epstein says, “Our primary goal is to ensure the viability of sleep practices and sleep centers while assisting our members in delivering the highest quality sleep care. [The new initiatives may] help sleep practices adapt to the changing healthcare environment while finding ways to be more successful both clinically and financially.”
Cassandra Perez is associate editor of Sleep Review. CONTACT [email protected]
