A new certification for durable medical equipment (DME) professionals, the Certified DME Specialist™ (CDME™), has been introduced by the Board of Certification/Accreditation (BOC). The new certification leverages BOC’s expertise in the individual certification field with their knowledge of the DME industry, gained through more than 20 years experience with DMEPOS accreditation.
“The Certified DME Specialist is BOC’s response to a market need,” said Jan paul Miller, MA, MEd, BOC Director of Certification,” to acknowledge the professionalism of industry technicians. We believe having a CDME on staff truly will set a company apart in a competitive environment.”
The role of the CDME is equipment delivery, set up, and patient education. A CDME handles basic repairs and troubleshooting of DME products, ensures home safety through home inspections and installation, and prevents fraud, waste and abuse. Examples of products about which a CDME is knowledgeable include: oxygen, transfer systems, enteral supplies, and wound care supplies.
As with all of BOC’s certification exams, the CDME assessment underwent a rigorous development process. Subject matter experts formed committees that met throughout 2012. The committees created a description of the tasks performed by DME professionals and developed an outline from these tasks to determine the major competencies for which a CDME should be accountable. The resulting exam will be offered business days and some Saturdays at testing locations nationwide, and candidates will receive their exam results instantly.
BOC President & CEO, Claudia Zacharias, MBA, CAE, notes, “In introducing the DME Specialist Certification we bridge our two major programs, certification and accreditation. The addition of the CDME is another example of how BOC fulfills our promise to the allied health community to ensure safe practice environments.”
Hiring a CDME offers many advantages for DME facilities, including risk management and increased customer satisfaction. Medicare human resource management standards require that technical personnel be knowledgeable, competent, and trained in order to deliver products. The CDME provides additional assurance of compliance, as well as differentiation in a difficult economic climate.
Eligible candidates for the CDME must have a high school diploma and 500 hours experience in the DME industry. After passing the multiple-choice exam, a CDME must meet continuing education and annual renewal requirements to maintain certification.
For more information on the Certified DME Specialist™, go to cdme.org or contact BOC at info@bocusa.org or 877.776.2200.