Durable Medical Equipment is a term for any medical equipment used in the home to aid in a better quality of living. Some examples of this equipment are walkers , wheelchairs, power scooters, hospital beds, home oxygen equipment, diabetes self-testing equipment (and supplies), certain nebulizers, and their medications (non-disposable). Additional rules apply for Medicare coverage of wheelchairs and scooters.

DME equipment is:

• Able to withstand repeated use;
• Primarily and customarily used to serve a medical purpose;
• Generally not useful to a person in the absence of an illness or injury;
• Appropriate for use in the home ;
• Likely to last for 3 years or more;
• Provided by specific suppliers that are approved by Medicare; and
• Medically necessary for you.

For Caregivers, the important take away in dealing with DME is directly related to the needs of the patient & how long the patient may require the use of this equipment/for what purpose. The discussion surrounding hospital beds typically brings up medical necessity in so far as a comparison between the benefits of a hospital bed vs what the patient currently has. For these electric beds, is there a benefit for the patient in being able to change angles, does it help improve their circulation or help them get out of bed? Then there are cost considerations to make in those same benefits over say a patient lift? Both can help the Caregiver in helping the patient out of bed, but affordability, function & patient comfort should be a consideration. For example, both require a fair amount of Caregiver involvement: the hospital bed may help the patient sit up, but the Caregiver is still going to have to leverage themselves to help the patient stand, move/twist, then reseat in a wheelchair. The patient lift is going to require some patient/Caregiver setup to get the patient in the right position for the sling. Once in the sling, how does that impact the patient being comfortable or pain free?

As a Caregiver, you might not have the initial imput with the patient's primary care physician regarding what medical equipment is prescribed; but it is definitely a conversation worth having if given the opportunity. Dimensions of the patient's room, existing furniture, height/width/length determinations could impact the equipment that gets delivered. If is patient is going to require the use of a wheelchair whether it's manual or a power chair, most homes aren't constructed with ramps or threshold wedges. Once the patient comes home, if their strength or mobility is comprimised, how are they supposed to get up & down the exterior steps? So when the opportunity presents itself, Caregiver input on the daily routine of the patient should be taken into consideration.