Referral Intake: Connect intake with adherence

Q. How can intake set the stage for materially improved patient outcomes?

A. Most HME teams measure intake success by speed and order volume. Those metrics matter, but they do not reflect whether the patient actually benefits from the equipment.

High-performing teams treat the intake process as the first critical point of care, not just an administrative step.

Intake is where patient adherence begins. Equipment delivered without proper education is often unused, but the issue goes deeper than instructions alone. Outcomes are heavily influenced by how well the education accounts for the unique patient. An elderly patient living alone, who is overwhelmed after a recent diagnosis, may require a very different level of support. When that context is missed, early confusion increases and the likelihood of abandonment or readmission rises.

Financial uncertainty creates similar risk. A patient who leaves intake unsure of what they owe is distracted, stressed and less likely to engage with their care. Addressing financial responsibility early removes that barrier before it impacts behavior.

Beyond the individual order, intake is where broader trends start to emerge. When teams capture structured information, they begin to see patterns that can reveal where patients struggle, where education is falling short, and where additional support could improve outcomes.

This is especially clear in maternity. In my experience leading maternity-focused DME businesses, the initial interaction is not just about fulfilling a breast pump order. It is a key moment to support the full patient journey. That first conversation creates space to educate patients on what to expect postpartum, introduce complementary products such as milk storage or recovery support items, and provide access to free educational resources that improve confidence and adherence. When done well, this does not feel like upselling. It feels like coordinated care.

The intake process is not just the start of the workflow. It is where patient experience, referral trust, operational efficiency and long-term outcomes begin to take shape.

Bruna Dos Santos is director of clinical intelligence at Tennr.