Surgeries and recovery times are getting shorter and shorter. New procedures, like arthroscopic knee surgeries, have all but eliminated painfully long recovery times. Most of this is good news, but what happens to you when you are discharged too quickly? You’re on your own once you’re out of the hospital.

This can be a problem for certain people. Older patients and those who have been through multiple surgeries can have a harder time immediately reacclimating to everyday routines. Major surgeries can still be a struggle, even though recovery times are light years ahead of where they were 15 years ago.

So who can you turn to for immediate assistance with medical supplies and aids to daily living?

Local Medical Supply Stores

Every town has nearby pharmacies, hospitals and doctor’s offices. What is slightly harder to find is a good medical supply store.

Medical supplies and equipment can be more difficult for vendors to sell than everyday merchandise. Having knowledgeable employees can be expensive! But you know what? It’s worth every penny. Every customer, even those with the same ‘needs,’ is going to be different. Seemingly minor needs can lead to a completely different end-product recommendation.

Doctors and nurses don’t learn a lot about consumer level medical equipment while they are in school. They know most of the product types (wheelchairs, crutches,etc.), but don’t have specific recommendations. Brand-name manufacturers and generic manufacturers—unlike prescription drugs, manufacturers can make a huge difference when purchasing medical equipment.

Local medical equipment stores with educated team members are just what the doctor ordered (pun fully intended) if you have immediate medical needs.

Aids to Daily Living

Some of the most overlooked, “I-need-this-the-second-I-get-home” products are the simplest ones. Aids to daily living include shoehorns, sock-aids, bathing cast-covers, specialty cushions, and much more.

The type of aids to daily living required after surgery can be hard to find at big box stores. Online shipping will take a few days (unless you spend $30 to overnight a $5 pair of grip socks). Even if a big box store has the type of item you are looking for, you usually have one choice. If you buy online, you can’t try-before-you-buy.

They may be ‘simple’ items, but aids to daily living can be difficult to find if you get sent home after surgery without them.

Try Medical Supplies Out in a Medical Equipment Showroom

Yep. Back to our buzzword. In all seriousness, however, testing medical supplies and equipment before you buy is very important. Even if the user can’t make it to the store themselves, being able to see products in person will make decisions easier for family members.

Before you just show up at a store that looks like they have what you need, there are a few steps you should take.

• Make a list of all the tasks you will need help with. Situations > products for this list: local medical store team members can help you find the best item if they know what you need it for.
• If you or someone in the house has already been through a surgery, check if you have any ‘left-over’ medical equipment. Why buy crutches if you already have them?
• Call the store! This is very important. Names can be deceiving—just because the word medical is in the store name, doesn’t mean they sell what you need. Save yourself a trip.
• If the local store has what you need, try to bring the patient with you. Being able to try things out leads to smart-buying. Getting the right product the first time can save you lots of time.

If you have specific questions about your surgery or recovery, however, call the hospital you got the surgery at and ask for your doctor. You will probably not get ahold of him or her immediately, but their staff should be able to help.

Medical supply stores know products. Your doctor knows people. When you combine these two resources, you get the right product for the right person.

Our Store and Staff

At Oswald’s, we try to go above and beyond for each and every customer. Our team members have been trained on most of the products. I say most because the rest we leave to our expert team members.

Our expert team members have training, certifications, and experience working with specific products and manufacturers. If you need specific help, you will be talking to one of these guys.

As always, if you have any questions, shoot us an email, give us a call, or (as this article has been telling you to do) stop by whenever you can. We can help you find the best solution for your needs. It’s what local medical supply stores are for.