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Earlier DME coordination aims to improve workers’ comp surgery outcomes
The paper argues that waiting to place DME orders until close to surgery creates friction in discharge planning and care transitions, and cites One Call’s view that earlier engagement gives teams more time to coordinate needs and remove barriers.
A new white paper from One Call, titled “Extending the Runway: Why Earlier Engagement is the Key to Better DME Outcomes,” argues that durable medical equipment coordination should start at the time of surgery approval rather than after an order is written.
The paper says that for injured workers facing surgery, recovery requires aligned discharge planning, ambulatory aids, transportation, language and rehabilitation services, and that in many claims DME coordination begins only one day before surgery, leaving claims teams scrambling.
One Call contends that earlier engagement creates “more time” to anticipate needs, identify and remove barriers, coordinate care, and support recovery before decisions become time sensitive.
The white paper also notes that, as competition drives premium reductions, WTW says underwriters are increasingly rewarding risk quality, and it cites OPTIS Partners data showing agency and brokerage acquisitions fell to 292 in the first half of 2026, the weakest start to a year in a decade.