Responding to Rapidly Changing Healthcare Landscape, National Medical Supply Business Makes Big Changes

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Mar 05, 2018, 11:18 ET

ST. LOUIS, March 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- After 40 years in business, family-owned St. Louis Medical Supply is changing its name to Nextra Health, and this isn't your typical re-branding.

"The health care landscape is very different than it was even 5-6 years ago," says Nextra Health President and CEO Dustin Smart.

Dustin Smart is President and CEO of Nextra Health. STL Medical Supply is changing its name to Nextra Health. The name change is a reflection of wider trends that have revolutionized the health care industry, changed how MCOs deliver services to Medicaid members, and affected the patient population nationwide. But this 40-year-old company is still owned by the same family and operated by the same management team, with the same friendly customer service staff answering the phones.

Rapid changes in actual and proposed legislation have driven an increased understanding of how to change health behaviors to improve health outcomes. In addition, the Medicaid market expansion has resulted in growth and changes within the managed care organization (MCO) industry.

All of this and more was not on the radar of most health services providers a decade ago.

Nextra Health observed – long before their official name change – the intense pressure felt by MCOs, their prime customer base, to attract, retain, and engage members; provide a higher level of customer service; and drive health and wellness outcomes.

They watched a dramatic shift in the expectations for health care delivery and requirements of health insurers, and began to adapt their business offerings to better help the MCOs they worked with daily.

"We were already working with MCOs very closely to provide outstanding customer service to their members, and to get high-quality medical supplies to the patients as quickly as possible. Over time, our services expanded beyond medical supplies to include innovative programs to promote member recruitment, retention, and health outcomes," explained Smart.

"We integrated our processes increasingly with MCOs and began to create tailored approaches to help them achieve their objectives. As these tailored approaches became more developed and health outcomes were demonstrably changing as a result, we realized we had really hit on something important to the whole industry. Our name change reflects our company's evolution into an innovative health services organization."

The trend towards outcome-based and incentive-based contracts in managed care is increasing and will continue.

As MCOs hurry to adapt to these new expectations and adjust their business to meet new goals, Nextra Health is positioned to help them attract, retain, and engage members; drive positive health behaviors; and improve health outcomes.

Nextra Health began as St. Louis Medical Supply, Inc., in 1978. This family-owned business is dedicated to Taking Care Forward, improving the health and well-being of their customers by offering high-quality medical supplies and innovative industry solutions and by being an innovative leader in the healthcare industry. NextraHealth.com/MCO

Media Contact:
Dustin Smart
[email protected]
800-950-6020

SOURCE Nextra Health