Permobil, TiLite and Roho In New Customer Focus Initiative

Three great end user customer driven companies have now formed an alliance (First Alliance) to better serve customers and to make sure they stay focused on end user needs in time of reimbursement cuts and a scramble by the industry in general to focus most of their activities on operational efficiency.

Both are clearly needed, but readers here will note that we have been long term advocates on close end user programs - why - because we have watched them pay off bothin the US and Europe for the last year or so - despite pricing pressure.

“Manufacturing Trio Forms Users First Alliance
ATLANTA–Three rehabilitation industry heavyweights have banded together to form an alliance aimed at ensuring that end-users get quality rehab products suited to their needs and not just the government’s pocketbook.

Permobil of Lebanon, Tenn., The Roho Group of Belleville, Ill., and TiLite of Kennewick, Wash., have formed the Users First Alliance.

“With so much focus on declining reimbursement and the resulting financial implications to providers and manufacturers, the industry seems to be losing sight of the most important component of our business–the consumer,” said Tom Borcherding, Roho executive vice president. “The founding members of the Users First Alliance believe that consumers and clinicians should expect more than the equipment that is considered just ‘good enough.’”

“Push for More” is the group’s motto, and that is what Users First will attempt to do through education of clinicians, providers and end-users, the manufacturers said.

Noting that only a handful of wheelchair users currently have access to state-of-the-art technology that offers not only expanded freedom, but health benefits, David Lippes, chairman and CEO of TiLite, noted: “During the equipment selection process, wheelchair users should not sacrifice equipment performance or medical outcomes based upon apparent reimbursement limitations. We can help.”

The alliance aims to do that through educating users, clinicians and providers about the selection process for rehab equipment; emphasizing the direct relationship of equipment quality and performance to long-term medical outcomes; providing information about insurance coding and reimbursement solutions; and guiding users, clinicians and providers through the reimbursement process to “help ensure accessibility of and appropriate reimbursement for this equipment,” the companies said.

The three companies also will offer continuing education opportunities in their individual areas of expertise”.

Source Homecaremag.