A while back I posted on A Father’s Powered Wheelchair Lament. A sad situation regarding a daughter’s new wheelchair that was fraught with problems.
It appears that the saga continues. Not only were there issues with the new wheelchair but it appears that the chair configuration (specified components) and getting repairs and support have also become an issue.
As in any industry, quality of service delivery can be a wildcard and vary greatly from company to company. Unfortunately, for wheelchair users the downside can easily become the case since after sale support by the medical equipment dealer is often directly tied to profits made on the original sale of the wheelchair.
As for how knowledgeable dealers are regarding wheelchair products and real world wheelchair use, well, I’m sure that also varies greatly throughout the industry.
Here are some out-takes from the Father’s latest post:
Read the entire post here.
“The parts on the wheelchair are entirely different from what the owner’s manual shows and says must be used and have been tested. And the manufacturer has still not simply said, “you have a new version” or “what you have has been safety tested.” No, they say nothing, silence is golden.”
“During that incident, I called multiple DME companies in my area. This is important: each and every one said they would not sell me a part, nor repair the chair if they did not sell the chair to me originally.”
Referring to the National Registry of Rehabilitation Suppliers(NRRTS) code of ethics:
“Maybe I don’t understand English. If I have the right to work with the supplier of my choice, why won’t any supplier work with me? This is an emergency, I will pay cash for a simple part, but no, they won’t work with me.”“Study before you buy that wheelchair. Ask questions. Demand answers. Read the manual. Talk to friends, talk to me! Make sure your PT, OT or physician approves of EVERYTHING because that wheelchair sales person is just that, a sales person.”
