BEAUMONT, Texas — As a side effect of the pandemic supply shortage, hospitals and medical clinics have started to rely on “used” medical equipment for patients.
Tanya Powell is the president of Medical Equipment Solutions. The company purchases medical equipment that hospitals and surgical centers no longer need such as MRI scanners, stretchers, anesthesia machines, and surgical tables.
Powell said supply shortages stemming from the pandemic have driven up cost and demand for her used equipment. Hospitals and emergency centers are not able to get new equipment due to the shortages.
“We have had a big problem getting the equipment that we've sold. The large equipment shipped out and delivered in a timely manner they just, they're not able to pick it up,” Powell said. “They call and say they don't have the drivers. They're losing a lot of freight.”
Amid the pandemic, used ventilators and defibrillators have been flying off company shelves due to hospitals and other facilities not having enough equipment.
“Defibrillators, all of that equipment. Emergency equipment, all that goes,” Powell said. “It comes in and it goes right back out.”
Powell said it has been great being able to provide the used equipment.
“We have sold every ventilator that we've had, even old ventilators, old-style ventilators,” Powell said. “They are not here more than a day. We sell them immediately.”
Gerad Howard who oversees ordering for wheelchair providers said shipping delays and supply shortages have been a headache.
“We're dealing with a lot of the regular medical equipment like walkers, wheelchairs, that sort of thing, being held up on container ships for months on end,” Howard said.
The delays have hit the customers especially hard, Howard said.
“We'll get customers something simple like crutches, you know, you're coming out of the doctor's office with maybe a broken foot,” Howard said. “It's taking so long to get this equipment that you no longer need it by the time it's available.”
Powell said in addition to trying to meet supply and demand, she's had to deal with transportation issues. These issues include a shortage of drivers and freight getting lost.