Why Am I Still Chasing Down the Products My Doctor Told Me to Use?

Your doctor knows what you need. So why are YOU still trying to find it?

You leave the doctor’s office with a plan for your wound or swollen legs. Then the work begins.

Which pharmacy has the dressing? Does my insurance cover it? Is this the same product my doctor wanted—or just something similar? How do I put this dressing on when I get home? Why is this compression stocking almost impossible to get over my leg?

And maybe the most frustrating question:

Why am I having to figure all of this out myself?

If you’re living with a diabetic wound, chronic ulcer, lymphedema or persistent lower-leg swelling, there’s something you should know: There may be an easier way. And it starts with finding a healthcare provider who doesn’t just tell you what you need—but has a system to help you get it, understand it and use it at home. That’s the idea behind the AMERX approach to patient care.

What if my doctor’s office could help take care of that for me?

That’s where working with a provider who partners with AMERX Health Care can change the experience. Your healthcare provider evaluates your wound and determines the products appropriate for your treatment. Then, depending on the prescribed product, your insurance and the program being used, AMERX can help facilitate the fulfillment process. That may mean receiving your products through your healthcare provider’s office. Or it may mean having qualifying wound-care supplies shipped directly to your home. Think about the difference.

Instead of:

Doctor → prescription → pharmacy hunt → substitutions → confusion

you can have a much simpler path:

Doctor → right product → insurance/fulfillment → office or home → treatment

That’s how healthcare should feel.

So the wound-care products I actually need can show up at my house?

For qualifying patients and products, yes. AMERX offers a suite of advanced wound-care solutions, including products such as collagen dressings, foams, hydrogels and other wound-care supplies that can be incorporated into your physician-directed treatment plan. Instead of trying to assemble your own wound-care system from whatever you can find locally, your provider can help establish what you need.

And then the goal becomes getting those products into your hands. That’s especially important because most wound care doesn’t happen in the doctor’s office. It happens in your home. Which raises another question.

The box arrived. Now what am I supposed to do with all of this?

Getting the correct product is only helpful if you know how to use it. That’s why patient education is such an important part of the process. Through AMERX’s website and educational resources, you can find product information, instructions and videos designed to help you understand the use of its wound-care and lymphedema products.

So when you get home and think: “Wait—how did the doctor tell me to apply this?” you have another resource available. The website doesn’t replace the individualized instructions from your healthcare provider, it helps reinforce them. Because it’s one thing to leave the office saying, “I think I understand,” it’s another thing to be standing in your bathroom the next morning trying to remember exactly what you were shown.

What if my problem isn’t a wound? What if my legs are constantly swollen?

Then you may already know about another frustrating medical scavenger hunt: finding compression you can actually wear. You may have been told for years: “You need compression stockings.” You bought them. You tried them. You pulled. You twisted. You struggled to get them over your swollen leg.

Eventually you thought: “There is no way I’m doing this every morning.” That’s exactly why ease-of-use matters. EXTREMIT-EASE® was designed around the reality that compression only helps when patients can actually wear it. Its adjustable Velcro-Bungee design is intended to make application much easier than fighting with a traditional tight stocking. The garment opens. You position your leg, zip it and adjust the compression. For someone who has struggled with traditional compression, that can change the entire experience.

Okay, but what happens to my swelling at night?

Now there is another option to discuss with your healthcare provider. The EXTREMIT-EASE family includes a nighttime compression garment designed to provide compression management while you’re resting. That means your physician can consider a more complete approach to lymphedema and lower-extremity swelling:

• • • • • • Daytime compression.
          • Nighttime compression.
          • Appropriate skin care.
          • Education on how to use it.

And a system designed to help you actually obtain what has been prescribed. For Medicare patients with qualifying lymphedema, expanded coverage under the Lymphedema Treatment Act has also made prescribed compression garments more accessible than they were in the past. So if you gave up on compression years ago because it was too difficult, too expensive or simply didn’t work with your lifestyle, it may be time to ask again.

Why does having the right provider make such a difference?

Because a good treatment plan shouldn’t end when you walk out the office door. Think about what you really need from your healthcare provider. You need someone who can diagnose the problem. You need someone who understands the products available. You need someone who can select what’s appropriate for you.

But then you need something else: A way to actually get it. That’s why finding a provider who works with the AMERX suite of wound-care, skin-care and lymphedema products can be so valuable. The goal is to connect the pieces: Your condition. Your doctor. The appropriate product. Your insurance coverage when applicable. Fulfillment through the office or delivery to your home. Instructions and educational videos to help you use it. And continued follow-up with your healthcare provider. That’s not just a product. That’s a system of care.

What would “easier” actually look like for me?

Maybe it sounds like this: “For the first time, I have the wound-care products my doctor actually wanted me to use. I didn’t drive to four pharmacies and end up buying whatever they happened to have in stock.”

Or maybe: “I finally have compression I can actually manage during the day—and a nighttime garment my doctor prescribed to help me continue managing my swelling while I sleep.”

Or simply: “When I forgot how to use something, I could go online and watch the instructions again.”

That’s what removing barriers looks like.

Because the easier it is to follow your treatment plan, the better opportunity you have to actually follow it.

Still struggling? Maybe it’s time to stop looking for another product, and start looking for the right provider.

If you have a diabetic wound, chronic ulcer, lymphedema or persistent lower-limb swelling, ask yourself:

• Am I getting the products my doctor actually wants me to use?
• Am I getting help with insurance and fulfillment when available?
• Can I receive my supplies through the office or at my home?
• Do I understand how to use them once I get there?
• If I need compression, am I still struggling with an old solution when easier technology is now available?

If you’re answering no, don’t just accept the frustration, ask your healthcare provider one more question:

“Do you work with AMERX?”

And if they don’t, consider finding a wound-care, podiatric or lymphedema provider who works with the AMERX family of wound-care and compression solutions. Because you shouldn’t have to become a wound-care supply expert. You shouldn’t have to visit four pharmacies. You shouldn’t have to settle for whatever happens to be on the shelf. And you shouldn’t give up on compression simply because the garment you’ve been given is too difficult to use. Get the right provider. Get the right products. Get help with the process. Get them into your hands. And get the support you need to use them at home.

Your treatment shouldn’t be another obstacle. It should make getting better easier.

Author: Dr. Jonathan Moore, DPM, MS, PhD, AAPWCA

Co-Authors: Joshua Trujillo, Katelyn Norkowski