Apr 05

Equipment Companies...Biomed Techs Offering Products, Services to Those in Need
by Julie E. Williamson

For more information on Samaritan’s Purse or MedEquip Missions, log onto their websites at www.samaritanspurse.org and www.medequip.org.
To reach by phone: Samaritan’s Purse (828) 262-1980; MedEquip Missions (828) 669-2128.

It’s been said that giving back is the true reward of success, and many of the nation’s medical equipment companies and biomedical technicians can attest to the truth of that statement.
When the tsunami hit last December, many immediately offered aid, which came in the way of equipment donations, financial support and volunteered technical services by those who could step in and ensure that donated medical equipment met the devastated region’s needs, was properly installed and operated as intended.

While the sheer magnitude of the tsunami disaster understandably garnered tremendous support from medical equipment companies worldwide, such efforts represented only a fraction of the contributions being offered to hundreds of other equally worthy – albeit lesser known – causes. Thanks to humanitarian organizations that reach out to victims of poverty, war, disease and natural disasters – and the companies and individuals willing to contribute to the relief efforts – many of those in need are getting a fresh start by getting the medical attention they could have only dreamed of in the past.

“There is a real need for proper medical equipment and treatment worldwide. Many times, equipment that is being thrown away here could be a lifesaver to people in developing countries,” said Jim Moore, biomedical director for World Medical Missions/Samaritan’s Purse, the Boone, NC-based humanitarian organization. “It’s just a matter of taking the time to recognize that there’s a need and doing what you can to help fill that need. And many are doing [just that].”

As a certified biomedical technologist, Moore witnessed firsthand the amount of equipment that was being taken off line and discarded, even though there was often still some valuable life remaining. Confident he could fix some of the discarded equipment, he, with permission from the hospital that employed him, began moving the items to his basement with the intent of refurbishing and donating them. Several years later, in 1998, he took his quest to a new level by partnering with friend Dennis McCutcheon, a physician’s assistant who regularly served on missions, and officially formed the organization MedEquip Missions.

“When we started MedEquip Missions, we didn’t realize that there were other organizations doing the same thing,” said Moore, who still serves as an active consultant and ongoing participant within the organization he co-founded. “We were shocked that there was so much need.”

Giving back, getting more
Over the years, Moore and McCutcheon have been touched by contributions by major medical equipment manufacturers, third party equipment firms, clinicians and biomedical technicians who have donated much needed equipment, along with their time, services and expertise.

GE Healthcare, for example, supplies both new and refurbished medical equipment to hundreds of non-profit organizations throughout the world, including Samaritan’s Purse. In 2004, GE Healthcare’s total donations to humanitarian organizations totaled more than $15 million in cash, medical equipment, in-kind donations, volunteer efforts and matched employee/ retiree giving. Some of the company’s most recent donations went to tsunami relief in Southeast Asia and hurricane relief efforts in Grenada and Haiti.

“While US donations are mainly monetary, many of our non-U.S. donations come in the form of imaging equipment,” explained Annette Busateri, community relations manager for GE Healthcare, Waukesha, WI, adding that the majority of product requests are for basic portable equipment, such as X-ray and ultrasound equipment. Other high-demand products include patient monitors and anesthesia equipment, she said.

GE Healthcare is also involved in a major healthcare and education initiative through GE corporate to help provide resources to cities in Africa. This five-year, $20 million program involves several GE businesses, including GE Healthcare, GE Energy, GE Infrastructure and GE Consumer & Industrial.

Aside from corporate donations, a number of medical equipment company and hospital employees are taking it upon themselves to volunteer their time and services, with many receiving encouragement – and at times, financial support – from their employers. Charlie Vittetoe, Mike Dirr and Mike Spencer of Louisville, KY-based DRE Medical all participate in medical missions, each offering their expertise in the field to those in need of medical care. Vittetoe, a dentist, is involved in numerous missions each year, and DRE officers Spencer and Dirr recently returned to Honduras to serve in a medical clinic supported by DRE. Dirr said there are plans to return to the country again later this year.

“Some of the work we do is through DRE and some we do on our own. Within the scope of DRE, our goal is to provide those in need with quality equipment,” Dirr said, adding that DRE offers discounts on medical equipment to medical mission organizations. “For the price of just one new pulse oximeter, we can give them two or three quality [refurbished] units.”

GE Healthcare also encourages employees to volunteer during work hours and allows every employee two to three days a year to do volunteer work. “While we do offer technical assistance in some situations, we leave that up to the individual employee as it is a personal commitment to donate their own time and talents,” explained Busateri.

Consider the needs
Although some may believe that any medical equipment is better than none, sources stressed that isn’t always the case. Quality, they agreed, should never be compromised; if it is junk in the United States, it will be junk in another country.

Not only could poor quality equipment jeopardize patient safety, it could also wind up costing the mission organization and recipient more in shipping and customs fees than what the equipment itself is worth.

“The issue of donating quality, appropriate medical equipment to developing countries is huge,” said McCutcheon. “A lot of garbage is being sent, which is doing more harm than good.” He described one situation where a well-meaning group sent five containers with 14 ventilators to Ethiopia. The quality of the units was so poor that a biomed technician working on behalf of Samaritan’s Purse had to use parts from all 14 to make just one useful unit.

“Every piece of equipment should be bench tested prior to shipment,” McCutcheon stressed. He and Moore also stress the importance of considering electricity requirements of the country set to receive the equipment. “Some equipment can be converted, but others cannot,” said McCutcheon. “Even the very best equipment will be useless if they aren’t equipped to operate it.”

It’s also critical that donated items be packaged with their operating manuals and accessories – two things that are often lacking, according to McCutcheon.

Because equipment needs and requirements will vary from one region to another (some hospitals in Africa, for example, rival the sophistication of a rural U.S. hospital, while other regions are so primitive they operate off of wooden tables and lack even the most basic pieces of medical equipment), sources contend it’s generally more beneficial for those wishing to donate to work with humanitarian organizations that fully understand the equipment requirements and can place the right equipment where it’s needed most.

By working directly with a non-profit organization, Busateri said GE and the group can identify a community need and develop a sustainable program to meet the needs of that unique community. “We seldom get requests for larger, high-tech equipment such as CT or MR. We attribute this to the needs of the local communities outside the U.S. and their lack of basic imaging equipment,” she said.

Partnering with an established organization that has passed the test of time has other benefits as well. According to Dirr, countries like Haiti are “a graveyard for well-intentioned projects” that aren’t seen to fruition. “Joining hands with a group that has been around a while and is committed to seeing a project through is more beneficial for everyone.”

While there will always be a need for quality medical equipment, that is by no means the only useful donation. Moore and McCutcheon said they cannot stress enough the value of biomedical technicians who are willing to donate their time to servicing and installing equipment.

“There is a need for biomed techs on multiple levels,” McCutcheon explained. “They know when equipment is coming off-line. They know if it is able to be refurbished and they know how to service and install it. Having the equipment is great, but the biomed techs are every bit as important.”