1. Review what types of services you plan to offer and what type of equipment you need to offer them.
2. Consider the senior population and be sure you have equipment to serve their needs.
3. Learn where you can buy home healthcare equipment for your business.
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Know what type of home healthcare equipment you need

You can use a variety home healthcare equipment, depending on the exact needs of your clientele. Home healthcare equipment and supplies basics include mobility devices, including walkers, rollators and wheelchairs; home safety and access equipment, such as ramps and bathroom accessories; dietary supplements and supplies, including specialized medical nutrition supplies and fiber products; and incontinence supplies. Beyond these, you may need specialized equipment and supplies.

I recommend: Total Care Home Medical Equipment carries a wide range of walking aids, rolling walkers, rollators and invalid care equipment, providing an overview of how to select and use each type of device. Home Care Essentials offers a variety of daily living aids.

Know what kind of home health care supplies for seniors you need

The senior population requires special home health care equipment. You'll need assistive devices including wheel chairs, walkers, canes and reachers to help these seniors maintain their independence. If you are working with seniors that have disabilities, consider speech aids and assistive devices for the deaf and blind.

I recommend: Solutions for Seniors sells bed accessories and sleep aids so you can help your senior patients be more rested. Their overview of sleep aids can help you choose the right model to match the needs of your clientele. Caregiver Products offers a varied selection of mobility aids to assist with daily living.

Research home medical equipment distributors

Compare and contrast home medical equipment distributors. Choose to do business with companies that offer superior customer service and products. Look at the shipping duration and how long it will take to receive your products.

I recommend: Quality Medical Supplies offers quality home health care equipment and supplies. They have a time in transit map where you can estimate shipping duration. Spin Life has an experienced customer service department to help you find home medical products. You can complete the whole order on line or over the phone.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Consider used home healthcare equipment to save some money. You can find used wheel chairs, food service carts, bed accessories and kitchen aids for a fraction of the cost.
• •  Though healthcare equipment will be the core of your business, you may need additional equipment and supplies for your business as well. If you are going to provide errand or transportation services you'll need to consider a proper automobile that can accommodate a wheelchair. If you plan to offer meal service be sure to have hot boxes to keep food hot and a van to transport.

Guide to Home Healthcare Equipment and Supplies

Start or expand a home health care equipment & supplies business

By Rose Bricker, Freelance Writer

1. Check out financing.
2. Where can you find the best home medical equipment distributors?
3. Look into supplying invalid care equipment.
4. Consider offering used home medical equipment.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Check out sources for financing your home healthcare equipment and supplies business

Since starting or expanding a business is risky, you need to come up with a solid business plan--be prepared to sell your ideas. Look into companies that only lend to people in the healthcare industry since they will know the advantages of investing in your business.

I recommend: Meridian Healthcare Finance is a financial service specifically for the healthcare industry. They offer specialization and expertise to provide a custom lending plan for your business.

Look for home medical equipment distributors

You want to find a healthcare equipment distributor who will take care of supplying you with home health care supplies for seniors. Since this will be the heart of your business, you want to research the different distributors for the one who has the most reliable equipment and competitive pricing.

I recommend: You can find invalid care equipment and health care equipment at OnlineMedicalSupply.com. They have been supplying businesses for over a decade and they offer over 10,000 medical products. They offer the best service and selection of medical equipment and supplies at the best price. They are constantly updating their products and you can try them risk free for 30 days.

Invest in used home healthcare equipment

Since there will be a huge demand for healthcare equipment finding an outlet to buy used home care equipment will be a plus to any business specializing in healthcare equipment and supplies.

I recommend: Medical Supplies and Equipment Co is a company that specializes in selling used home care equipment at wholesale prices. They have used equipment and supplies for seniors as well as offering used equipment for diabetic and other chronic illnesses.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Renting home healthcare equipment is another way to expand your business. It keeps the cost down for people who only need the equipment for a short period of time.

Guide to Making the Most of Home Healthcare Equipment and Supplies

Keep patients healthy and safe with home healthcare equipment that meets their special needs

By Rachel Davy, Writer/Editor

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Use home healthcare equipment such as bathroom transport chairs to meet the needs of patients

Bathroom transport chairs and fixtures and bed rails can make life easier in many ways for those who are having trouble getting around. These home healthcare supplies will help to meet the needs of patients who want to be able to be to move around independently without full-time care and assistance.

I recommend: Read about the home health care equipment and supplies sold by Northshore Care Supply, which offers home healthcare products such as bathroom safety and elder care items. Read about bed rails and bed safety at AARP, then research bed rails from Canes Galore.

Get home health care supplies for seniors and disabled patients to help prevent falls

Since every year approximately $19 billion is spent in healthcare costs because of senior falls, having home health care supplies for senior patients is imperative to their safety as well as the success of your business. Thankfully there are senior and invalid care equipment and supplies created just for them. Make sure to teach patients how to use this equipment themselves to prevent falls.

I recommend: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers information about how to prevent falls. Learn about and then purchase fall prevention and emergency response home health care supplies for seniors and invalids from United Security Products. Read about the home medical equipment used for elderly or disabled patients such as lift chairs and other home healthcare supplies offered by Allegro Medical Supplies.

Get information about used wheelchairs and other home healthcare equipment and supplies

Because of the rising costs of healthcare, it is feasible to consider buying used home medical equipment and supplies. Just because you offer used home healthcare equipment doesn't mean that you're sacrificing quality. There are also businesses that provide both new and used equipment so you can continue to take care of your budget while providing quality equipment to your patients.

I recommend: United Spinal Association offers information about mobility issues and different types of wheelchairs and mobility devices. Learn about the services provided by World Wide Wheelchairs, which sells used manual and electric wheelchairs along with home medical equipment. Advantage Medical Systems not only offers both new and used home care equipment, but they will also buy your used home care equipment as well.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Have listings of home medical equipment distributors readily available so that you can special order products for new patients with special needs.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Mobility aids

Mobility aids, also called ambulation devices, are anything that help you stay 'mobile' - able to move from place to place. Canes, crutches, scooters, walkers, wheelchairs, ramps and lift chairs are all types of mobility aids. Some mobility aids can be accessorized. For example, you can add rubberized grips to crutches or add a hanging pouch to a walker. Wheelchairs can be accessorized with backpacks, arm rests or more comfortable seat cushions.

I recommend: You can learn about mobility aids at MedlinePlus.

CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machines

People with sleep apnea stop breathing many times during the night. This wakes them up over and over and often leads to health problems such as high blood pressure. A CPAP machine, attached to a mask, holds the airways open with continuous air pressure. Accessories include masks, chin straps, filters, humidifiers and even software to record CPAP compliance and air-pressure readings.

I recommend: To learn more about CPAP visit cpap.com.

Glucose monitors

Everyone with Type 1 diabetes needs to take insulin. Some people with Type 2 diabetes also need insulin. To maintain proper insulin levels, diabetics must test their blood regularly. To do this, many people use a blood-glucose monitor. Those who use monitors need testing supplies such as syringes, lancets and test strips.

I recommend: You can find information on glucose monitors at TheMedSupplyGuide.com.

Bariatric equipment

People who weigh more than 250 pounds often require special home health-care equipment. They need bariatric products that can accommodate extra weight. Most bariatric equipment is designed to support up to 700 pounds. Bariatric home health-care equipment includes wheelchairs, shower chairs, walkers, commodes, crutches, mattresses and beds.

I recommend: You can browse bariatric equipment at Parkwood Oxygen.

Nebulizers

People with respiratory problems such as asthma and cystic fibrosis often receive medications through a device called a nebulizer. Liquid medication is loaded into the nebulizer, which delivers it to the lungs as an inhaled mist. Some nebulizers are powered by a compressed air machine that plugs into an electrical outlet. Others models are hand-held and battery-powered.

I recommend: To learn more about nebulizers, visit National Jewish Health.

Bath seats and shower benches

Each year, one out of every three elderly people suffers a fall. Bathroom falls are common and especially dangerous problems. Bath seats and shower benches help prevent falls while in the tub or shower by giving bathers a place to sit and keep their balance.

I recommend: Get descriptions and pictures of bath seats and shower benches from southwestmedical.com.