Be Part of Something Bigger
“Tell me about VGM.” We hear that a lot. Our response, “We are a trusted membership community that unlocks everything you need to successfully run your business.” While that statement is short and simple, we know that navigating the complexities of our industry, including staffing, regulations, and rising costs, can be challenging. VGM & Associates provides savings and solutions, expertise, and exclusive connections to enhance business efficiencies, increase revenue, and strengthen long-term viability for our members and vendor partners. However, this didn’t happen overnight.
VGM was founded in 1986 on the belief that personal connections drive growth and opportunity. Today, our relationships and entrepreneurial spirit enable us to continually add services and resources to
help your business operate more efficiently, both now and in the future. We simplify your daily operations so you can focus on providing your patients and customers with the utmost care.
Our exclusive memberships are structured to allow you to join one or more based on your specific business needs within the markets you serve.
Our most successful members fully leverage the opportunities available within VGM. Think of it like a gym membership: if you don’t use it, you can’t reap the benefits of your investment. From peer-topeer networking and expert business consulting to educational webinars and business resource libraries, vendor partner promotions, and a platform for your voice in government relations, we’ve got you covered.
When
you’re part of VGM, you are Part of Something Bigger. You connect with real people who understand your business and provide custom solutions to help it grow. Membership gives you and your business access to:
Value-Added Network: VGM’s team anticipates the future needs of its members and finds ways to offer those products or services internally or through vendor partners. From manufacturers to patients, VGM connects those with products or services to those who need them. As a VGM member, you can access great deals on products and services for your business. We are dedicated to connecting you with a wide variety of vendor partners who can meet all your business needs.
Expertise to Guide the Way: VGM carefully selects a team of experts to help you grow your business. Our experts truly care about your success and maintain professional credentials to stay ahead of industry trends, which allows them to guide you effectively.
Key Growth Opportunities and Leads: In today’s ever-changing environment, we must work smarter. VGM industry leaders understand our members’ markets inside and out, including trends, outlooks, and opportunities for adjacent business expansion.
Exclusive Access to Members-Only Portal: One of the many benefits of VGM membership is exclusive access to resources that help your business succeed. This includes information on participating vendor partners, events, webinars, peer-to-peer discussion boards, forms, documents, exclusive content, and our quarterly playbooks.
Specialties Table of Contents
HME, Respiratory, and Wellness Specialties
HME
VGM & Associates is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive member service organization for home medical and durable medical equipment providers. Today, our membership includes nearly 80% of HME/DME providers throughout the United States. With a combined 150+ years of experience and regional “know how,” VGM provides each member with a dedicated account manager. From navigating VGM’s vast number of services and specialties, to understanding the national and regional industry landscape, our account managers’ top priority is seeing our members’ businesses succeed.
RESPIRATORY
We’ve organized respiratory DME into several programs, each with its own full line of offerings, such as business resources, profitability calculators, billing tips, policies and procedures, and much more to ensure members succeed no matter what equipment they provide. Our programs include:
• Oxygen equipment
• Sleep therapy
• Noninvasive and invasive ventilation equipment
• Trach supplies
• Nebulizers/airway clearance
• Pediatric services
WELLNESS
Wellness to VGM means taking care of your patients’ whole self, and not just when healthcare is needed. Wellness looks at the full cycle of care; preventative, during, and after. It isn’t limited to age, gender, or type of care. Chiropractic, regenerative, medical spas, mental health, and the list continues. Wellness will provide the same level of support for our members offering resources, experts, and deep discounts on products from highly rated and trusted vendor partners.
WOUND CARE
Wound care offers resources to help our members with their patients’ wound care regardless of the area of wound care our members are in; negative pressure wound therapy, support surfaces, nutritional products, compression therapy, wound care dressings, ostomy, and diabetic supplies. A wound care manual, an online resource center, education, and reimbursement guidance are all resources VGM provides to help our members grow, or start, your wound care business.
WOMEN’S HEALTH
Women’s health is evolving, and so is VGM’s women’s health offering. Rooted in providing resources for mastectomy, compression, and mother/baby, women’s health includes everyday wellness and care. We continue to foster lasting relationships that help our members and vendor partners build alliances and strong business. We provide the resources members need to lower costs, maximize revenue, operate more efficiently, and expand business operations.
Clinical Mobility and Accessibility Specialties
COMPLEX REHAB
U.S. Rehab is a membership network of complex rehab providers encompassing more than 1,300 rehab locations that provide quality, custom-fit complex rehab equipment. Our mission is to foster lasting relationships that help our members and vendor partners build alliances for strong business. We strive to assist our complex rehab partners with services that allow them to operate more efficiently and increase profitability.
HOME ACCESSIBILITY
The VGM Live at Home community helps certified accessible home modification providers and contractors transform homes for independent, safe living. VGM Live at Home’s mission is to build
a best-in-class membership group that will help provide seniors and mobility-impaired individuals across the country with safe homes, giving them the independence and quality of life they deserve.
ORTHOTICS AND PROSTHETICS
The Orthotic and Prosthetic Group of America (OPGA) works to advance the orthotic and prosthetic profession—and help you advance within it. OPGA is the largest community of O&P practices and supplier partners in the nation. Representing nearly 1,300 locations, OPGA offers services and programs that help each member operate more efficiently and increase profitability.
It’s not easy to put a price tag on the true value of a VGM membership. As a VGM member, you gain access to a community that’s designed to make it easy for you to run your business every day.
We continually invest in experts who understand and have years of experience in all of our specialties and services. They are dedicated to researching and understanding market dynamics to give YOU a competitive advantage and help you exceed profitability goals and service levels for patients and their families.
Because we don’t line item every service, feature, or expert you utilize, or even every peer connection you make within our network (which we know
first-hand can be invaluable), there isn’t a monthly number calculated that proves the true impact of membership on your business and employees.
However, illustrated above is a conservative example of what a single-specialty member might access in an average month of membership.
VGM members realize over eight times the value of the actual membership dues they are paying.
Whether it is for expertise, advocacy, pricing contracts, services or instruction, if you are in the DME industry you’d be crazy to not be a member.
~ David Anderson
Development and Networking
In the healthcare industry, information comes in fast—and change is constant. Belonging to VGM enables you to stay up to date on the latest industry trends and best practices, access experts, and network with your peers.
WHERE COMMUNITY MEETS OPPORTUNITY IN THE HEARTLAND
We believe we create opportunities for ourselves and others when we come together. That’s why some of our membership specialites host their own educational and networking events with special peer-to-peer groups throughout the year. But nothing exemplifies this concept more than our annual Heartland Conference. This event brings members, vendor partners, and industry experts together in VGM’s hometown of Waterloo, Iowa, for educational sessions where you can earn CEUs, as well as a host of networking events so you can learn from your peers. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience you can’t afford to miss.
OTHER NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
VGM is ever-present at all industry events and state association meetings and even takes experts on the road so all members can take advantage of education and networking opportunities. Members also gain access to extensive resource libraries, FAQ documents, business documents, playbooks, workshops, member-only networking events, and a host of webinars.
Other Services to Help Your Business Grow
COMPREHENSIVE SLEEP SERVICES
VGM’s Comprehensive Sleep Services offers innovative, efficient, and personalized solutions for mask fitting, CPAP machine setup & fulfillment, compliance, resupply, returns, and asset recovery.
AI MASK FITTING
SleepGlad is a secure, cloud-based PAP and NIV 3D mask fitting platform built on artificial intelligence technology. Through a simple link sent to any smartphone or camera enabled device, SleepGlad is able to scan and precisely measure your patients remotely. Combined with a machine-learning platform, SleepGlad provides a manufactureragnostic recommendation for the ideal mask fit.
PRODUCT FULFILLMENT AND RESUPPLY
A reliable order fulfillment partner should be the silent, yet critical, catalyst to the success of your CPAP machine and CPAP resupply business. As your partner, VGM Fulfillment is responsible for the key operations of order fulfillment: picking, packing, shipping, and inventory management. With a network of four fulfillment centers, nearly 3,000 SKUs in stock, and over six million packages sent each year, most packages reach their destination within three business days. We focus and excel on our core competencies while you execute excellence in yours – taking care of patients.
COMPLIANCE
Sleep Services is a CPAP set up and compliance program that aims to create relationships with patients for ongoing care and success. This program helps our members with staffing, revenue, and patient compliance. By using Sleep Services as your outsourced clinical service, you can be more efficient and reduce costs as opposed to hiring additional clinicians. Sleep Services provides more efficiency and higher compliance rates.
ASSET RECOVERY
VGM’s asset recovery program reduces unused CPAP machines by handling patient contact, return shipping, and adding them to your customerowned inventory for new patient setups, loaners, or rentals.
Other Services to Help Your Business Grow
VGM & Associates has access to expertise that helps grow your business beyond the VGM & Associates memberships. Contact us to get connected today.
SECURITY AND TECHNOLOGY
VGM Forbin is here to help you with anything technologyrelated. We specialize in technology risk and compliance for the healthcare industry, providing one-time assessments or a complete managed IT service to continuously reduce IT vulnerabilities while improving efficiency through technology. This includes hardware and software support, 24/7 monitoring, vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, and much more. We understand the importance of cybersecurity, and helping our members achieve a strong security posture is our primary goal. Data security in the healthcare sector is vital. Our team of technology professionals and our expert partners can provide a wide variety of cybersecurity services to meet the organizational and compliance needs of our members.
• Risk and Compliance
• Vulnerability Assessment
• Penetration Testing
• Website Protection
• Breach Protection
• 24/7 Remote Monitoring Support
• Backup and Disaster Discovery
• Value Added Reseller of Hardware and Software
• Workforce Security Training
• Incident Response Planning
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
The experts at VGM are dedicated to ensuring you get to focus on doing what you do best—caring for your clients. Our professional services are designed to help you avoid the unexpected so you can keep growing your business.
BILLING AND REIMBURSEMENT
Resident reimbursement experts work to ensure you get paid correctly and on time. The reimbursement team helps VGM members review the coverage criteria and documentation requirements for your industry that may turn up in audits. Members have access to our team of experts who have a vast knowledge of the industry, policies and procedures about billing, reimbursement, documentation, and more.
AUDIT AND COMPLIANCE
The team of consultants at The van Halem Group offers a full array of reactive and proactive reimbursement and HIPAA compliance support solutions that protect your business from unnecessary and unexpected scrutiny. They’ll help you navigate the complex regulatory issues related to submitting claims, responding to audits, and filing appeals while avoiding violations of federal and state laws, as well as other payer policies and requirements. They also assist with provider enrollment issues and PDAC coding.
REVENUE CYCLE STRATEGIES
We want to make sure your business is operating at its peak potential. Revenue Cycle Strategies offers business health checks, a comprehensive examination of your organization’s processes to diagnose underlying issues and prescribe solutions for sustained success, and huddles which are a unique opportunity to enhance your business strategy.
Other Services to Help Your Business Grow
DATA AND LEAD GENERATION
VGM Market Data provides members exclusive access to the largest and most comprehensive DME claims database in the country, helping you maximize referral sources and identify new growth opportunities. Their data visualization tool combines data analysis and sales enablement into a single map, accessible anywhere via desktop, mobile, or tablet. Upgraded features allow you to:
• Find and value potential new markets by product volume
• Gain laser-like market intelligence on high volume physicians by product
• Quantify your market potential with state- or county-based market share analysis
• Analyze commercial reimbursement rates to find valuable contract negotiating opportunities
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS AND ADVOCACY
VGM GOVERNMENT RELATIONS CHAMPIONING CHANGE IN THE DMEPOS INDUSTRY
VGM Government Relations is here to be the Champion of Change for the DMEPOS industry. Our team stays up to date on everything happening in DMEPOS legislation, so we can be your first and only stop for information. We help educate members on how to navigate the legislative landscape. We advocate to make sure that everyone’s voices get heard in the industry, and we make sure everyone is well informed on industry rules and regulations.
People for Quality Care (PFQC) is an advocacy organization working to ensure patients have access to quality home medical equipment and services. Our goal is to educate and engage patients who are impacted by poor healthcare policies and their caregivers. We share their stories with policymakers, and we advocate for legislation and regulations that help elevate their quality of life.
EDUCATION
When you choose VGM Education, you’re investing in a complete educational experience. Serving the HME, long-term care, and home health industries, we offer over 1,000 online courses where you can earn CEUs and easily track and assign learning. We also offer virtual convention hosting, custom coursework for your team, anti-infection medication tracking solutions, and more!
INSURANCE
VGM Insurance has been a recognized leader for over 30 years in providing liability insurance and bond solutions to healthcare providers nationwide. Our full-line coverages are specifically designed for your unique business needs, and we offer the most competitive rates in the industry. Our team of experts also works with you to help proactively manage your risk, and our in-house claims team and legal counsel are available to support, guide, and defend you in the event of a claim.
Other Services to Help Your Business Grow
MARKETING SERVICES
FULL-SERVICE MARKETING
Two Rivers Marketing was acquired by VGM in 2022 and is a fully integrated B2B marketing agency. Our breadth of experience and the depth of integrated marketing services we offer give us more insight. Our teams get up to speed quickly, because we’ve been there before. As a global B2B marketing agency, we have a head start on solving your most perplexing branding, content, or channel marketing challenges — giving you the most immediate return on your B2B marketing investment.
WEB AND DIGITAL
VGM Forbin takes a holistic approach to helping your online presence. As the web and tech division of VGM, we develop comprehensive digital marketing campaigns that direct potential customers to an excellent website experience. Our digital marketing services—social media, search engine marketing, search engine optimization, and reputation management—are relentlessly focused on increasing loyalty and building new business. The websites we build not only drive business goals but also have the tools to improve your business efficiency with product orders, form submissions, and more. With extensive experience in the healthcare industry, we make sure that all healthcare websites meet HIPAA and WCAG compliance. To put it simply, we make it easier for you to attract and manage leads so you can do more of what you love: helping your customers.
Strategic Imaging is dedicated to relevant marketing through personalized direct mail. Strategic Imaging can help you get a better response rate with their top-quality variable data and variable image printing. We combine years of printing expertise and state-of-the-art digital imaging with data management and programming specialists for target marketing and direct mail campaigns. In addition to your printed materials, Strategic Imaging also proudly offers custom branding products. We feature an exclusive online catalog of apparel and promotional items to help you with every aspect of your marketing and brand identity.
PAYER NETWORK ACCESS
HOMELINK connects you to more than 2,000 payers nationwide. Whether you’re an HME, DME, O&P, dental, hearing, transportation, therapy, or home health provider, HOMELINK has a payer network to help gain access to more referrals and grow your business. By joining the HOMELINK network, you gain access to referrals from HOMELINK’s primary referral sources:
• Physicians’ offices
• Hospital discharge planners
• Insurance case managers and other providers
• And the patient
HOMELINK can also help you retain referrals for out-of-network patients by converting them to in-network opportunities.
PATIENT TRAVEL AND RELOCATION
Whether patients need to travel for care or just need a good vacation, Freedom Link can help them get the equipment they need while traveling. Free up your time by referring your patients to us for all their travel-related medical equipment needs. Our staff connects patients to VGM members throughout the country to assist patients in all their medical equipment needs. Freedom Link has knowledge to assist with travel equipment needs and collaborate with authorized service centers. Serviced equipment includes:
• Oxygen Backups and Rentals
• Portable Oxygen Concentrators (POC)
• CPAP Machines
• Wheelchairs
• Scooters
• Lift Chairs
VGM is a wonderful resource. Whether I need a form, want to chat with my peers, attend a webinar, etc., there is always a resource there.
~ Cathy Wyant