Hope Medical Supply Inc. Purchases Wheelchairs Plus

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Jan. 2, 2014)—Wheelchairs Plus, a provider of state-of–the-art power wheelchairs and customized manual wheelchairs for special needs clients, has been acquired by Hope Medical Supply, Inc. of San Antonio. The announcement was made by Kathleen Weir Vale, CEO of Hope Medical Supply, Inc., which has provided medical equipment for patients living at home since 1941. The acquisition of Wheelchairs Plus gives Hope Medical a prime South Texas Medical Center location. Specializing in complex rehabilitation equipment for clients with disabilities such as spina bifida and cerebral palsy, Wheelchairs Plus was founded in 1982 and has developed a specialty niche in pediatric mobility equipment. Hope Medical purchased the company from Tom Cottle, who will remain as director of the professional team. Cottle is one of Wheelchairs Plus’ three Assistive Technology Professionals (ATP), a national certification given by the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA), which is the premier professional organization dedicated to promoting the health and well-being of people with disabilities through increasing access to technology solutions. “The ATP certification recognizes demonstrated competence in analyzing the needs of consumers with disabilities, assisting in the selection of appropriate technology for the consumer’s needs, and providing training in the use of each selected device,” says Weir Vale. Mr. Cottle and his team of ATPs bring a combined 77 years of experience providing complex rehab equipment to special needs patients. The Wheelchairs Plus acquisition is the latest foray of Hope Medical Supply into niche markets. Hope Medical recently expanded its specialty lines with the addition of an office dedicated exclusively to its prosthetic limb and orthotic bracing business. Hope Medical Supply, headquartered in San Antonio and with offices in Corpus Christi, provides medical products for patients living at home throughout South Texas, including oxygen, sleep-therapy equipment such as CPAPs and BiPAPs, disposable medical supplies such as urinary catheters and a full complement of home medical equipment. For more information, visit Wheelchairs Plus at wcplus.com or Hope Medical Supply at hopemedicalonline.com.