Why is Home Medical Equipment important to me?

Because it changed my life and took me on a journey that continues today.

I started working in the home medical equipment business on August 12, 1996, at Walnut Medical Services. Twenty-eight years later I am still here, and little did I know how much this industry would impact not only my professional life, but my personal and family as well.

I was 23 years old back in 1996 when I got hired and was trying to find my way in life. I applied at Walnut for the position of oxygen tank filler. Definitely not the most glamorous position you could start at but it was a start and also an important position. Many people do not realize oxygen is a drug that is regulated by the FDA. We cannot set a patient up on oxygen or pick it up without a written order from a doctor. Anytime the FDA is involved with a product, the process has to be done correctly.

I held that position for a few months and got moved into a Delivery Tech position. I loved it. You get to be on the road, going into patients’ homes and providing them with equipment that can be the difference between having to go to a nursing home or hospital for extended periods of time or being able to go or stay in their own home. There is a comfort at home that cannot be replaced, especially when you are sick or dealing with a health crisis. Delivering oxygen to patients and seeing how they can go from getting out of the hospital not sure of where life is going to go for them now, to seeing them every week with more portable tanks to go out on the town and not let their health issues stop them from living!

After 7 years of being a Delivery Tech, I got promoted to Delivery Supervisor in 2003. That was a new challenge, but one that I knew I could handle because I knew all the challenges of being a Delivery Tech and now had the ability to change and improve processes that would not only benefit my delivery staff, Walnut as a company but most importantly our patients.

Personally, family health issues entered my life in 2010 when my younger brother was dealing with health issues that ultimately claimed his life in 2010 at the age of 35. He needed home oxygen to help him breathe during his battle. My Grandmother lived to be 97 years old, and the last few years of her life were spent in a hospital bed. The easy part was setting up the bed, the hard part was picking it up after she passed. My Father dealt with diabetes and heart issues and ended losing both his legs, having heart surgery, and needing the full range of home medical equipment we could provide. Hospital bed, oxygen, wheelchair, power wheelchair, transfer board and he even had a reacher to pick up his remote control. My Mother also required a bed, low air loss mattress and oxygen before she passed. Having so many people in my family that needed all of this equipment gives me a personal perspective of how important this equipment is for anyone who uses it.

I rely on that personal experience, and I use it along with my professional experience to do my very best for the patients we service and provide the comfort of the home too.

Covid-19 provided all of us with a challenge never seen before and home medical equipment companies across the country showed just how valuable we are to the health care industry. We provided vital services to hospitals who had no room for patients. We were a lifeline to send people home with oxygen to help ease some of their burden. Our supplies were in short supply, our staff was overloaded, our spirits were bent but not broken but we came to work every single day. In the darkest days of the pandemic, our staff at Walnut Medical were rockstars and shined brighter than ever! The pride that we had in our staff during that period still shines brightly today.

As I sit here in my office, now the Daily Operations Coordinator of Walnut Medical Services as we are celebrating our 40th year caring for our community’s health at home, I reflect on how I started as a young kid not knowing how this job would go and I think of what I have witnessed and been a part of it gives me pride. I have lost family, friends, coworkers, and patients we care about and it is hard.

However, I love coming to work every day and being a part of this amazing staff who cares for our community and the patients who we help. I get to work with people who are not only my coworkers but my closest friends.

That is why home medical equipment is important to me and remember to ASK FOR WALNUT!

Bob Pfeil

Daily Operations Coordinator

National Heart Month

February is National Heart Month and Walnut Medical Services wants to encourage our customers and staff to make our hearts stronger not only physically by eating healthy, get active, maintain a healthy weight, quit smoking, control blood pressure and cholesterol and manage your stress.

February is also the month of love with Valentine’s Day on February 14th. Please share love and understanding with each other whether it is strangers, family members, friends or co-workers, be the reason someone smiles this month!

Walnut Medial Services also loves to provide new products that will help our patients live a better life. We are excited about a new product we are going to be providing to our community. We will now carry the Dexcom G7 CGM units for diabetic glucose monitoring. What is a CGM you may ask? It is Continuous Glucose Monitoring. These devices will change how a person with diabetes monitors and cares for their blood sugar levels by providing real time continuous readings of what your blood sugar levels are. It is a game changer in diabetic care and health.

Stay tuned for more information on this exciting new product Walnut Medical Services is offering!

Remember to make your heart happy both physically and emotionally during this years National Heart Month and spread the love to others to make their heart happy this month as well. #sharethelove

40 Years in business. Look how far we have come!

Walnut Medical Services started out as a small home medical equipment company located at 504 Main St. in Downtown Johnstown back in 1984. The intention was to provide patients with quality equipment and most importantly quality service and care to allow them to be in the comfort of their own home during their health battles. This still rings true today. Thanks to the hard working and dedicated staff that started the company and the staff members who have come and gone over the last 40 years who built the foundation for service to our patients, we are still here doing our best at caring for your health at home.

Walnut Medical has changed a lot of the last 40 years. We moved to 226 Main St. in Downtown Johnstown in 1994 and the main office is still located there today. We opened branch offices in Bedford and Richland that are still open today to serve patients in those areas. We have had offices in Indiana, Lewistown, Boswell, Ebensburg, and Windber.

The industry has changed a lot over the last 40 years. In the last 10 years across the nation there is 60% less home care companies like Walnut Medical Services. We had to adapt and change over the years to meet the challenges that have come our way. What many do not realize is we cannot set our prices, most of our business is insurance based and what we get paid is set by Medicare guidelines and what other insurances decide to pay. We have found a way with the help of strong, smart leadership at the top, to the dedicated staff who built our quality reputation in the community, with hospitals and other referral sources.

The Covid-19 pandemic challenged our staff in ways never seen before in history. The staff worked day and night getting oxygen equipment to patients in and out of the hospital. We NEVER closed the doors to our patients not for even one day! The phones were always answered by a real staff person and we came together as a company like never before.

The dedication and love for the job that our staff has, shows in the longevity many of them have:

Purchasing Manager 35 years CEO 33 years Accounts Receivable 30 years

Daily Operations Coordinator 28 years Branch Manager 20 years Sales Manager 20 years

Head of Respiratory 15 years Billing Manager 15 years Service tech 20 years

Numerous billing, CSR and delivery staff who have been here for 10 to 20 years providing service to our patients.

You will have a hard time finding another homecare company anywhere with more experience than Walnut Medical Services.

Most importantly we are here celebrating our 4oth year because of our staff, patients, their families and friends, who “ASK 4 Walnut” when at the hospital or doctors office. We would not be here without you.

Thank you to all of you and we look forward serving the people our West Central PA for another 40 years!

Stair Lifts and you!

People may wonder, do I need a stair lift?

There are many people that could benefit from having a stair lift in their home.

Stair lifts are a vital part of maintaining independence for aging adults or people with limited mobility issues. This allows them to stay in their own home longer.

There are big benefits to having a stair lift in your home.

*Independence—Getting up and down stairs can be difficult. Stair lifts allow people to access other areas of the home that they may not have been able to use any longer, like upstairs bedrooms and bathrooms.

*Safety—They reduce the risk of injury by providing a safer way to go from one floor to another.

*Peace of mind—It provides family members confidence that their loved one can safely move from one floor to the next.

*Home—Stair lifts allow a person to stay in their home and avoid the need to relocate or move to an assisted living center.

Walnut Medical Services has been serving West-Central PA with stair lifts for 15 years.

For a free evaluation and estimate of which kind of stair lift would fit your needs call John at 814-533-9994.

This holiday season give a loved one the gift of independence!

Walnut Wisdom: Do I need a CPAP

How do I know if I need a CPAP:

The most common symptoms related to obstructive and central sleep apneas and the need for a CPAP are:

Loud snoring-Episodes in which you stop breathing during sleep-Gasping for air during sleep-Awakening with a dry mouth-Morning headache-Difficulty staying asleep (Insomnia)-Excessive daytime sleepiness-Difficulty paying attention while awake-Irritability.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, speak to your doctor about sleep apnea and see if the use of a CPAP can improve your health.

Walnut Medical Services has a Certified Respiratory Therapist on staff to setup your CPAP, fit you with a mask that works best for you and answer any questions you may have about sleep apnea and CPAP’s.

Remember to ASK 4 WALNUT for your CPAP, CPAP supplies and any other home medical equipment you may need.

Walnut Medical Services is THANKFUL to be able to care for your health at home, from our door to your door since 1984!

Have a wonderful month of Thanksgiving!

Check back in December for another Walnut Wisdom Blog!