
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the development of air fluidized therapy (AFT) or Group 3 beds. Although the beds have been used successfully in treating nonhealing Stage 3 and Stage 4 pressure wounds in institutional settings, few home medical equipment (HME) dealers are aware of their benefits for home use. AFT beds are seen by wound care specialists as the “gold standard” in providing patients the best possible pressure relief. Medicare and other insurers cover the bed (HCPCS E0194) if a patient has a nonhealing Stage 3 or Stage 4 pressure wound on the trunk or pelvis and previously failed a Group 2 surface. Depending on the state of service, Medicare reimburses between $3,184 and $3,746 per month for the AFT bed or the E0194 code. These beds will allow your company to take on the most difficult pressure wound patients and provide your home health customers with solutions for their worst wound patients. Discharge planners in hospitals view these beds as a possible solution to their frequent flyer wound patients, who often have recurring admittances into hospitals. Jennifer Orr, vice president of Medical Modalities in Concord, North Carolina, said that AFT beds are a big part of their marketing strategy. “AFT beds have allowed Medical Modalities the ability to accept and care for the most complex wound patients,” she said. “By coupling negative pressure wound therapy and support surfaces, we truly believe that we have the most comprehensive offering of wound care solutions throughout the continuum of advanced wound healing.”