🏥 Unlock Referral Growth: How Partnering with DME Providers Can Elevate Your Home Care Marketing
- Kevin Lambing
- Mar 13, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 8, 2025
In the home care industry, building high-quality referral relationships is key to sustainable growth. While hospitals, social workers, and discharge planners are common targets for outreach, one often-overlooked opportunity lies in an unexpected place:
Durable Medical Equipment (DME) providers.
DME suppliers are consistently in touch with patients who are transitioning from hospital to home—many of whom will require non-medical home care services. By forming strategic alliances with these providers, you can strengthen your brand visibility and become the go-to agency for post-discharge referrals.
🤝 Why Partnering with DME Suppliers Works
Durable medical equipment companies don’t just deliver gear—they serve as critical connectors in the patient recovery journey. When you collaborate with DME professionals, you gain access to patients who:
Are newly discharged from hospitals
Need mobility or personal care support
May not yet have selected a home care provider
This is where your agency steps in—not just as a service, but as a care partner.
📋 Provide Value with a Strategic Discharge Checklist
To help bridge the gap between hospital discharge and home care, we developed a comprehensive discharge planning checklist. This tool simplifies life for discharge planners and case managers by consolidating everything patients may need, including:
✅ Durable medical equipment✅ Post-acute home care services✅ Contact info for your agency
This proactive resource positions your agency as organized, professional, and prepared—making it easier for hospital teams to refer clients with confidence.
💡 Want one for your agency?I'm offering a FREE editable DME checklist template to help you get started.
✅ Sample Discharge Checklist Categories
Below are example categories you can include when customizing your own DME checklist:
🦽 Mobility & Ambulation
Wheelchair (manual/electric)
Walker (standard, rolling)
Crutches, Cane, Transfer board
Patient lift (e.g., Hoyer)
🚿 Bathroom & Hygiene
Commode or shower chair
Raised toilet seat
Grab bars, Long-handled sponge
🛏 Bedroom & Positioning
Hospital bed, Overbed table
Bed rails, Specialty mattress
Positioning pillows or wedges
🌬 Respiratory Equipment
Oxygen tank or concentrator
Nebulizer, CPAP/BiPAP
Suction machine
🩹 Wound Care & Medical
Wound dressings, Skin protectant
Glucose meter, BP monitor
Catheter or ostomy supplies
🧰 Other Essentials
Home ramp, Reacher tool
Medication dispensers
Compression stockings
📣 How This Helps You Stand Out
When you proactively equip discharge planners and DME partners with resources like this, you’re not just selling a service—you’re solving a problem.
You:
Reduce their workload
Demonstrate collaboration
Build trust through organization
Align with their mission of safe patient transitions
These efforts often lead to repeat referrals, word-of-mouth recommendations, and even formal partnerships.
🚀 Ready to Create Your Own DME Checklist?
I'm offering a free, editable DME discharge checklist template you can brand with your agency’s logo and contact information. Just plug in the name of your DME partner, and you’re ready to distribute.
Together, we can help more patients transition home safely, while growing your agency’s referral base at the same time.
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