MOBILITY COMPANIES FORM ALLIANCE

Representatives from Permobil, The ROHO Group, and TiLite have announced the formation of Users First Alliance, a coalition of mobility companies dedicated to improving the end user's [clients'] quality of life, including their long-term physical and mental health outcomes.

According to Tom Borcherding, executive vice president of The ROHO Group, "With so much focus on declining reimbursement, and the resulting financial implications to providers and manufacturers, the industry seems to be losing sight of the most important component of our business—the consumer. The founding members of the Users First Alliance believe that consumers and clinicians should expect more than equipment that is considered ‘just good enough.' "

By providing customers with state-of-the-art products and quality education, the Users First Alliance aims to encourage and assist end users, clinicians, and providers to drive product selection based on client needs, and to work together to ensure appropriate access to such equipment.

"Wheelchair users deserve the highest level of mobility that current technology offers. Only a handful of users experience the freedom and health benefits that are attainable with today's state-of-the-art, high-performance seating and mobility equipment. During the equipment selection process, wheelchair users should not sacrifice equipment performance or medical outcomes based upon apparent reimbursement limitations. We can help," says David Lippes, chairman and CEO of TiLite.

According to representatives, the goals of Users First Alliance are to: educate users, clinicians, and providers about the selection process for rehabilitation equipment; emphasize the importance of providing the highest-quality and best-performing equipment due to the direct relationship of equipment quality and performance to long-term medical outcomes; provide access to information about insurance coding and reimbursement solutions; and guide users, clinicians, and providers in the reimbursement process to help ensure accessibility of and appropriate reimbursement for this equipment.

Larry Jackson, president of Permobil, says, "The Users First Alliance is dedicated to developing high-performance products that not only meet, but surpass, industry standards. With a focus on quality and innovation, we feel that our products will yield the best outcomes for wheelchair users."

For more information, go to www.atusersfirst.org.