DME Flow expands automation reach with new partnership

RAPID CITY, S.D. – DME Flow is gaining momentum in its mission to streamline resupply operations for home medical equipment (HME) providers, thanks to new strategic agreements with VGM & Associates, says Tim Freidel, CEO and founder of the company. 

The company’s automation solution wraps around a provider’s electronic medical record (EMR) system to accelerate the resupply order management process, reduce errors and, ultimately, pave the way for scalable growth. 

“The way I like to describe it is, Tennr can help you get in the front door cleanly and we’re trying to get you through the house and out the back door,” Freidel said. 

DME Flow has formalized its partnership with VGM & Associates through a Vendor Agreement - a move that signals its growing influence in the HME technology space. 

Tailored automation for HME providers 

DME Flow’s approach is highly customized, adapting to each provider’s product offerings, EMR platform and operational workflows, Freidel says. 

“We’re not buy off-the-shelf,” he said. “We’ve found a niche of supporting and automating within their platform. We can integrate with or without application programming interfaces (APIs). Every business is messy, and our approach is to fit within their process.” 

This flexibility allows providers to work with DME Flow regardless of their technical infrastructure, making automation accessible even to those without advanced API capabilities. 

Real-world impact of AI integration 

DME Flow’s goal is to automate the resupply process to the point where manual intervention is no longer necessary, Freidel says. 

“We have a national CGM supplier that we work with and they have a transcript of a conversation they use with a patient where the patient is asked what other supplies they need,” he said. “The patient (may say something like), ‘I need that sticky thing that goes on my arm.’ In that situation, our bot would be able to understand they need the cover that goes over their CGM.” 

Industry outlook: Automation as a strategic imperative 

Freidel believes the HME industry is at a critical juncture, with challenges like Medicare’s national competitive bidding program and other regulatory pressures on the horizon. 

“There are different paths they could go down,” he said. “They need to make sure they’re set up for success in the best way they can based on what we know. If you shut down and wait for the bombs to hit, (that’s not going to work). Automation and AI plays in that discussion.”