What You Should Know Before Going To A Medical Supply Store For Home-Use Equipment

By Eugenia Dickerson


Medical equipment and supplies used in homes are able to help people with physical limitations and other conditions retain their living standards at home. However, purchasing such equipment from a medical supply store requires some knowledge. Knowing a few tips about how such supplies should be purchased may make your home a safe place for someone requiring with such special needs.

First of all, you should determine how long you will need the necessary equipment and whether they are for temporary or permanent use. There are many instances where some equipment such as walkers and wheelchairs are required for a short period of time. But, buying such equipment for long term permanent use outright would bring down their cost immensely. Some equipment may have to be purchased over and over again; so their prices are kept fairly priced.

The use of things like ramps, scooters, bed lifts, and wheelchairs are limited to a certain amount of weight and height. These parameters are what ensures safe operation and allows patients use them with comfort. So, at the time of purchase, it is better to have the weight and height measurements of the person the equipment is intended for.

Have a specialist come over for a visit. There are many qualified in-home care specialists who are able to assist you with many decisions and inviting such a person will turn out to be quite beneficial. Such a person is able to help you in deciding what type of equipment will be suitable for the patient and what will fit into your home.

Consult with your insurance provider. Talk to them about the coverage options for home-use equipment and supplies before you make a purchase. Your insurance policy might cover all or some part of the cost based on the medical necessity, but may also require you to buy a specific brand or from a specific vendor in order for the cost to be covered.

Take comfort into consideration as well when buying the requirements. The equipment used daily can be upgraded to offer extra comfort by adding a few extra details such as adding extra padding on wheelchair seats and on crutches, baskets fitted to walkers, or using smaller size needles with glucose monitoring devices. Have an understanding about how you could make the home-use equipment more comfortable in addition to the cost.

Write a list. Noting down what you need comes in quite useful if you are outfitting an entire room or your home with equipment for a patient to use. If you have inadequate knowledge about what should be included, you may refer to a physical therapist or doctor to compile your list of requirements beforehand so that you are familiar with your options and range of products.

Get the assistance of a professional for installations. It is important to ensure safety of equipment such as wheelchair ramps and bed lifts by getting a professional to install them. So, you should always find a medical supply store that will refer you to a professional who guarantees his work.




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