| Home medical equipment, also known as durable | | | | such as Walgreens and Invacare can be found in |
| medical equipment, refers to those items that | | | | the most highly populated areas but several |
| patients need in order to care for themselves | | | | smaller businesses exist in even the most rural |
| outside of a health facility such as a hospital. | | | | counties. |
| These items are intended for use by a | | | | Once you have found a supplier that you feel will |
| non-professional medical caregiver, such as a | | | | work best for you, you need to provide them |
| family member or friend. Therefore, they are | | | | with your physician's prescription. If they cannot fill |
| designed so that everyone can use them for | | | | it, they should be able to point you in the direction |
| extended periods of time. | | | | of a company that can. A home medical |
| Examples of medical equipment intended for | | | | equipment supplier has several obligatory functions |
| home use are items such as respirators, | | | | to perform when they enter into an agreement |
| wheelchairs, commodes, nebulizers, air purifiers, | | | | with a patient. They are required to provide |
| diabetic shoes, and many more. In order to qualify | | | | proper delivery and setup of the equipment, train |
| for one of these machines, one needs a | | | | the patient and his or her caregiver on how to |
| prescription from a doctor. This prescription is | | | | operate the equipment, and provide 24-hour |
| necessary for the majority of these pieces of | | | | contact information in the case of an emergency. |
| equipment; however, minor items can be obtained | | | | Your supplier also has to provide periodic |
| without a note from your doctor. These items | | | | maintenance service and contact you if anything |
| include walkers or canes. | | | | changes concerning your insurance. |
| Once your doctor writes a prescription, he or she | | | | If your doctor does not give you a |
| may recommend a home medical equipment | | | | recommendation, make sure that you do your |
| supplier. If they do not, you will have to do some | | | | research thoroughly to find a good refurbished |
| research of your own but suppliers are not | | | | medical equipment supply company. If you want |
| difficult to find. Medical equipment supply | | | | to be well taken care of, you need to find a |
| companies come in all sizes and can be found all | | | | company that is there to help you, not their own |
| over the country. Two of the largest suppliers | | | | pocket books! |