Synapse Health to Steer DME's Shift to Value-Based Contracting

SKOKIE, IL – February 17, 2026 – As the healthcare industry accelerates its departure from traditional fee-for-service payment models, the durable medical equipment (DME) sector stands at a critical juncture. Synapse Health, a technology firm at the forefront of this transformation, has announced it will lead a featured panel discussion at Medtrade 2026 to address the future of value-based contracting. The session, titled “Collaborating to Win,” will bring together senior executives from the payer and DME provider communities to dissect the evolving landscape where patient outcomes, not service volume, dictate success.

Mandira Singh, President of Synapse Health, will facilitate the high-profile discussion on March 4 at the Phoenix Convention Center. The panel is poised to be a landmark event at the industry's premier trade show, offering a roadmap for navigating the complex but necessary shift toward value-based arrangements that promise to reduce costs, enhance care coordination, and ultimately improve patient health.

A Fundamental Shift from Volume to Value

The move toward value-based care (VBC) represents one of the most significant transformations in modern healthcare. This model incentivizes providers based on the quality and effectiveness of care, a stark contrast to the transactional nature of fee-for-service, where payment is tied to each individual service rendered. While the broader medical field has been steadily adopting VBC, the DME industry—long reliant on volume-based reimbursement—is now facing increasing pressure to align with this new paradigm.

The momentum is undeniable. According to the Health Care Payment Learning & Action Network (HCPLAN), nearly 60% of all healthcare payments in the United States were tied to value and quality by 2021. This trend is heavily propelled by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which has set an ambitious goal to have 100% of its traditional Medicare beneficiaries in an accountable care relationship by 2030. With Medicare Advantage enrollment also surging, private payers are following suit, creating an environment where DME providers must demonstrate their direct contribution to better patient outcomes and lower overall healthcare expenditures.

For DME suppliers, this shift presents both profound challenges and significant opportunities. The transition requires a fundamental change in operational mindset, moving from simply supplying equipment to actively participating in a patient's care journey. Success in a VBC world depends on a provider's ability to prove their value in reducing hospital readmissions, preventing emergency department visits, and enabling effective, lower-cost care in the home. This requires robust data collection, seamless integration with other healthcare partners, and a proactive approach to patient management.

The New Imperative: Collaboration and Data Transparency

At the heart of the value-based movement is the concept of collaboration. The siloed approach of the past is being replaced by a need for deep, strategic partnerships between DME providers, health systems, and payers. The upcoming Medtrade panel explicitly highlights this with its theme, “Collaborating to Win,” reflecting an industry-wide recognition that shared goals and transparent data are the cornerstones of successful VBC implementation.

Leading payers are already formalizing these relationships. In a notable 2023 initiative, Humana entered into value-based agreements with major DME providers, including AdaptHealth, to streamline the provision of home medical equipment for its Medicare Advantage members. The partnership aims to improve health outcomes and simplify processes for both patients and prescribers, demonstrating a clear payer strategy to integrate DME more closely into a holistic care model.

These partnerships are not merely contractual; they are data-driven alliances. Payers increasingly expect DME suppliers to provide clear metrics demonstrating their impact on key performance indicators. This includes tracking patient adherence to treatment, monitoring equipment usage to prevent complications, and coordinating with clinicians to adjust care plans in real-time. Operational reliability and the technological infrastructure to support this level of data transparency are no longer competitive advantages but essential requirements for participation in these evolving networks.

Industry Leaders Convene to Chart the Course

The panel assembled by Synapse Health for Medtrade 2026 brings a wealth of diverse experience to the table, representing a microcosm of the collaborative ecosystem required for VBC to thrive. The panelists include Yelena Brusilovsky, Vice President of Commercial Sales at Edgepark; Dan Bunting, Senior Vice President at AdaptHealth; and Sharon Pruitt, Vice President of Strategic Operations at Synapse Health, who brings experience from her former role as Solutions Management Director at Carelon.

Each panelist offers a unique and vital perspective. Edgepark, a major direct-to-home supplier, provides insight into the logistics and patient engagement challenges of commercial plans. AdaptHealth, as a national provider of home healthcare equipment, brings firsthand experience from its active value-based agreements with major payers. Sharon Pruitt’s background with Carelon, a health services company, adds a crucial layer of understanding from the payer and care management solutions side, illuminating how DME fits into broader strategies for population health.

“Value-based contracting is becoming a real differentiator in how payers evaluate DME partners,” said Mandira Singh in the announcement. “This session is about bringing together leaders who are actively working through these changes to share what’s working, where challenges remain, and how suppliers can position themselves for long-term success as expectations continue to evolve.” This focus underscores the practical, strategy-oriented nature of the discussion, aimed at providing actionable insights rather than theoretical debate.

Technology as the Linchpin for Success

Underpinning the entire transition to value-based care is the critical role of technology. The level of coordination, data collection, and analytics required to succeed in VBC is beyond the capabilities of manual processes or outdated software. This is where companies like Synapse Health are carving out an essential role, providing the digital infrastructure that connects prescribers, health plans, and DME providers on a unified platform.

These technology-driven solutions enable the seamless flow of information necessary for effective care coordination. They equip providers with tools to manage patient populations, track outcomes, and generate the reports needed to demonstrate value to payer partners. By automating workflows and providing real-time insights, these platforms help reduce administrative burdens and allow providers to focus more on patient-centric activities.

The emergence of a robust technology ecosystem is a clear sign of the DME industry's maturation within the value-based landscape. As payers continue to raise their expectations for performance and data transparency, the adoption of advanced, interoperable technology platforms will become a non-negotiable aspect of survival and growth. The discussion at Medtrade 2026 is set to illuminate this path forward, emphasizing that in the new era of healthcare, effective collaboration is powered by intelligent technology.