Poll shows 65% of providers plan to automate in the next year

YARMOUTH, Maine – The home medical equipment (HME) industry is on the brink of a major technological shift, as providers increasingly look to automation to streamline operations, according to a recent HME Newspoll. 

Of the 52% of respondents who said they have not implemented an artificial intelligence (AI) solution to automate patient intake and documentation in the past year, 65% said they plan to pull the trigger in the next year. 

“It saves time, improves accuracy and helps assure that nothing is missing,” wrote Craig Rae of Penrod Medical Equipment in Salisbury, N.C. 

Barriers to automation: Complexity & cost 

For the 52% of respondents who have not implemented a solution to automate operations, the market still feels too much like the Wild West.  

“There has not been a solution that we have found that can cover the whole process that we have and so we continue to evaluate options,” wrote Fran Marasow of Professional Medical in Seattle. “It’s frustrating that it continues to be so piecemeal.” 

At the recent HME News Business Summit, a group of investors in industry tech companies predicted that a shift from isolated point solutions to integrated platform systems will help to get AI to really take off. 

For other hold outs, the hesitation is about not only complexity but also cost. 

“We’re not sure it’s the best avenue from a cost efficient or time efficient direction,” wrote Beth Higgins of Intimate Image, a women’s health boutique in California. 

Early adopters push ahead with AI solutions 

On the flip side, 48% of respondents have already implemented a solution to automate operations, citing industry challenges like inadequate reimbursement and labor shortages as key drivers – and they’re not looking back. 

“We have implemented AI solutions due to our narrow profit margins and the current inability to expand our staffing,” wrote one respondent. “With ongoing audits and multiple new operational implementations, maintaining compliance has become increasingly critical. To support this, we have partnered with a new AI company to enhance and streamline out intake process.” 

Some are already thinking about their next implementations. 

“Implementing AI and machine learning in our business has been in our plans for a while,” wrote one respondent. “Automating the patient intake process was step 1. We are adding eligibility and the prior authorization (PA) process to this.”