The environment may not rank high among the top priorities at most HME companies, but officials at Maldonado Medical believe a green initiative can help their company stay in the black.

PHOENIX — With HME companies caught in a reimbursement
squeeze and dealing with all sorts of legislative and regulatory
changes, the environment may not rank high among top priorities.
But officials at Maldonado Medical believe a green initiative can
help the company stay in the black.

Investments in paperless recordkeeping, video conferencing,
electronic signature capture and low-emission vehicles have already
paid for themselves "In travel, fuel, ink and storage," said
company President Brandon Maldonado.

He figures electronic signature capture saves over 10,000 sheets
of paper annually for the company. In the Santa Monica, Calif.,
branch, the local delivery vehicle is a four-door GEM car, an
electric car that can operate for up to 30 miles on one charge. And
video conferencing among company managers saves on travel
costs.

"It's not just good for the environment, it's good for
business," Maldonado said of the company's green program, noting
that "the positive response from our clients, doctors and patients
has helped our company grow during a time when many in our health
care sector are downsizing."

The eight-year-old company specializes in the TEC iceless cold
compression/DVT prophylaxis system, continuous passive motion, CPAP
and lymphedema therapy.

With three locations in Phoenix, Santa Monica and Beverly Hills,
Calif., Maldonado said the company is planning to add another
office — and more GEM cars — in San Francisco by the
end of the year.