Washington

National and regional home medical equipment providers sprang into action after September's terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, offering equipment and supplies to hospitals and other entities.

Dealers also struggled to provide uninterrupted service to patients in the affected areas in New York and Washington. In many cases, they said, their best efforts were hindered by limited air travel and restricted access to areas where the attacks occurred.

Larger providers relied on emergency management teams to coordinate resources across the nation. Costa Mesa, Calif.-based Apria, one of the nation's largest providers of respiratory and home medical equipment, implemented a nationwide emergency plan.

“We moved immediately to ensure uninterrupted supplies to patients while simultaneously providing all the support we can to medical facilities in the Washington, D.C., and New York City areas,” said Lisa Getson, senior vice president for business development. Apria's emergency plan included contacting patients to ensure they had adequate medical supplies and coordinating services with competitors and hospitals in the Washington and New York metropolitan areas, Getson said.

Deerfield, Ill.-based Walgreen Co. donated $50,000 in cash and merchandise to the American Red Cross for victim assistance, said Melissa Sobie, vice president of marketing for Walgreen Health Initiatives.

And Melville, N.Y.-based Gentiva Health Services, a national supplier of infusion and injectable therapies, stepped up operations to ensure patients had the medical supplies they needed. The company activated a crisis management team to deal with the potential negative impact the suspension of national air traffic might have on patients, officials said. Gentiva also expanded its call-center services to 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Locally, Marc Skopov, chief executive officer of Harlem, N.Y-based Healthcare Pharmacy Services, which provides outpatient pharmacy services for North General Hospital, said he received requests from the hospital for oxygen cylinders and respiratory medicines such as albuterol. It took hours to deliver it, he said, but he gave away his supply.

Others were prepared to help in any way they could. Sadly, there were few survivors to aid.

“We have been looking and listening for requests for our services,” said Phil DiLernia, president of Flemington, N.J.-based Mr. Mobility, a division of Cornell Healthcare, which specializes in the sale and service of mobility equipment. “Unfortunately, so few people have survived or been injured in a way that requires mobility supplies. It's a helpless feeling.”

Meanwhile, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services spread the word that emergency medical supplies not typically covered by Medicare, such as HEPA masks needed by nurses who are assisting near the World Trade Center, would be covered. That was no matter.

“The New York providers would make supplies available free of charge,” said Tom Ryan, president and chief executive officer of Farmingdale, N.Y.-based Home Care Concepts and past president of the New York Medical Equipment Providers Association.

For breaking news, go to www.homecaremonday.com, the electronic news service of the home medical equipment industry.