what does the term durable medical equipment mean?
(December 2012). The standard definition of Durable Medical Equipment used by insurance companies is:Durable Medical Equipment (DME) is any equipment that provides therapeutic benefits to a patient in need because of certain medical conditions and/or illnesses. Durable Medical Equipment (DME) consists of items which: 1  are primarily and customarily used to serve a medical purpose; 2  are not useful to a person in the absence of illness or injury; 3  are ordered or prescribed by a physician; 4  are reusable; 5  can stand repeated use, and. 6  are appropriate for use in the home.