As a nursing home administrator in the 1960s, Donald H. Adler realized that patients being discharged from his facility did not have appropriate home medical equipment. “I was loaning patients wheelchairs, commodes and walking aids … so I decided to address the need,” Adler explains. He founded Care Medical Equipment, Inc. in 1970 and, since then, has led the company to eight branch locations in Oregon and Washington State with more than 300 employees.
But building a business is not the reason Adler was chosen as a recipient of HomeCare's HomeCaring Award for 2003. According to the panel of award judges, Adler has served his communities, patients, employees and the HME industry at large unselfishly for 33 years, as well as devoting countless personal hours, financial support and in-kind donations to numerous charitable organizations.
The reason he has remained in the business, Adler says, is simple: “I love my work. I'll admit that 30 years ago in this business things were not as complicated as they are today, but I still love it … I still get excited about coming to work every day.”
The provider says he often spends Saturdays talking about issues, customers and payer sources with the company's customer service representatives, then addresses the same things on Monday with his administrative staff. “I am rewarded every day by the satisfaction achieved by customers through the efforts of my employees and my company,” he says.
A champion for patients, Adler supports The American Cancer Society with free storage and pickup of donated equipment. He provides free medical equipment and wheelchair repair services for the Muscular Dystrophy Association's local summer camp, and personally sets up all the hospital beds, trapezes, shower commode chairs and any other equipment the camp needs every year. He raises funds for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society's Bike MS, the Rotary Club's Wheels for Power and the American Heart Association's community walks, among a long list of charitable events.
Adler is also a committed industry participant at both the local and national levels. He has provided financial support for HME lobbying efforts in both Oregon and Washington State, and is active in the American Association for Homecare. He encourages employees to get behind both state and regional industry organizations, and to date, five branch managers of Care Medical are past presidents of their state's DME associations.
Even with the busy schedule Adler maintains, his employees point out that their boss has never requested a single task that he is not willing to perform himself. In fact, he still works after-hours emergency deliveries and pick-ups at his Portland branch location.
According to the judges, “Don is more than an HME dealer. He is an integral part of his community and a credit to our profession. He has set a standard for other dealers to aspire to.”
Chosen from nominations sent in by readers and judged by a panel of industry professionals, HomeCare's HomeCaring Award is given in recognition of distinguished service to the HME industry. HomeCare is proud to acknowledge the talent, dedication and generous spirit of those who make the HME community a better place and who demonstrate the caring that HME is all about.
