NSM CEO Bill Mixon Guest Stars on Sen. Frist Podcast

• By Laurie Watanabe
• Jul 20, 2022

In a wide-ranging podcast hosted by former Sen. Bill Frist, National Seating & Mobility (NSM) CEO Bill Mixon discussed Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) challenges and policies, both current and upcoming.

Mixon is the guest speaker in episode 183 of Frist’s podcast, A Second Opinion. The episode was released July 11.

In the podcast, Frist, a surgeon who graduated from Harvard Medical School and Stanford University School of Medicine, asked Mixon about a series of CRT issues, including the size of the industry; who CRT serves; the delivery timeline for equipment; the funding process and what factors currently slow it down; and the state of service/repair, including a right-to-repair movement that’s gaining momentum.

“We create custom solutions,” Mixon said, when Frist asked him to describe CRT. “This is not the wheelchair that you see at the airport or that you see when you’re getting discharged from the hospital. This is not that simple wheelchair. These are custom devices that are custom fabricated to the measurements, specifications and requirements that the individual has.”

On the funding side, Mixon described many current payor processes as “cumbersome,” but noted how looking for and capitalizing on efficiencies makes Kaiser’s process, for example, much more efficient than others.

Mixon also described NSM’s growth in the home accessibility field, which started about five years ago. By the end of 2022, he noted, NSM expects to have a presence in approximately 1,000 Home Depot stores, thanks to a partnership with that home improvement and construction giant.

Listen to Mixon’s episode here.

Frist (R-Tenn.) served in the U.S. Senate from 1995 to 2007. He was elected Senate Majority Leader in 2002.