Concordia Medical Equipment

Concordia Medical Equipment (CME) is a durable medical equipment supplier with a focus to sell and/or rent medical equipment and supplies to benefit patients under the care of Concordia Lutheran Ministries and subsidiaries, as well as patients in the community. Concordia Medical Equipment operates for the benefit of, to perform the functions of, and to carry out the purpose of Concordia Lutheran Ministries, a related faith-based 501(c)(3) organization. There are currently 11 campuses in Pennsylvania in which patients and/or residents are supported with a goal of aging-in-place throughout the continuing care retirement community (CCRC) campuses of Concordia. An additional continuing care community was added near the end of the fiscal year in Apr 2023 now called Concordia at Bethlen. Concordia Medical Equipment's purposes and activities focus on supporting individuals in the Concordia service area, in its effort to provide care to the approximately 50,000 patients that Concordia serves annually in Pennsylvania. This includes benevolent care to persons unable to pay. For fiscal year ending 06/30/2023, a total of $243 in services was rendered as benevolent care. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023 represented on this return, over $2.2 million in sales and rental revenue was from related organizations, which is 79% of the total sales and rental revenue. Of the $2.2 million revenue from related organizations, 60% of revenues are derived from hospice-related services provided to patients of three 501(c)(3) non-profit hospice agencies in Pennsylvania: Good Samaritan Hospice of Pittsburgh, Concordia Hospice of Washington, and Visiting Nurse Association of Indiana County, dba VNA Family Hospice. Concordia Medical Equipment also works with the home health agencies when patients are on palliative care due to a diagnosis of a life-threatening illness. The goal is to facilitate a strong program that fosters compassionate transitions from nursing to hospice services by fulfilling equipment needs. It is important to allow patients with an end-of-life diagnosis to be able to remain in their homes as long as possible. Concordia Medical Equipment provides a wide selection of durable medical equipment and supplies to the patients both affiliated with Concordia Lutheran Ministries and residing in the surrounding communities. CME offers durable medical equipment for both rental and purchase including products related to beds and pressure relieving mattresses, mobility, bath safety, aids to daily living and respiratory care. The customer care team assists in facilitating the order process and works closely with physicians, insurers and other members of the healthcare team to assure each patient receives the equipment needed to keep them safe in their homes. Concordia Medical Equipment meets all current Medicare participation requirements and as such is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC), a non-profit accreditation organization for Home Health, Hospice, and DME. CME has been awarded and accepted contracts for multiple medical equipment categories in Medicare's Competitive Bidding program. In October 2020, CMS announced that it was removing the majority of the product categories from the current Round 2021 bidding program. With this change taking place, CME continued to service Medicare Part B beneficiaries in need of products and services throughout our service area. The agency continued to provide education in the community by discussing appropriate home medical equipment topics related to hospital discharge procedures, short-term rehabilitation, patient safety and oxygen safety within the home. Total donations for the fiscal year were $1,005,200. Donations made during the year include a donation of $900,000 to Concordia Lutheran Ministries Parent. $100,000 to the Concordia Lutheran Ministries Foundation Good Samaritan Endowment Fund to be used to provide care to Concordia patients with limited or depleted funds. In May 2023, CME purchased 80 new hospital bed mattresses from Proactive Medical Products at a total cost of $5,200. The mattresses were given as a donation to DTCare. DTCare is the 501c3 arm of their parent corporation DTGruelle. DTGruelle Co. was established in 1982 and provides international and domestic logistical services to importers, exporters, and domestic shippers around the world. DTCare's parent organization was utilized to tackle the logistical challenges associated with getting the mattresses to Ukraine for use in Ukrainian long term care facilities as an effort to support the people affected by war. A donation of supplies was also collected in the CME warehouse without a monetary cost to the agency. Eight pallets of miscellaneous durable medical equipment and wheelchair parts were donated to DT Care in Feb 2023 for their ongoing relief mission in Panama. These items carry an approximate value $3,700 if they had been purchased new. Total sponsorships for the fiscal year were $283. Concordia Medical Equipment sponsored the Concordia Lutheran Ministries Foundation Power of the Purse Fundraiser benefiting Good Samaritan Hospice Youth Bereavement Care Program in the amount of $250 in Sept 2022. Concordia Medical Equipment also shared in the sponsorships of several events: Redeemer Lutheran School Golf Outing in Aug 2022, Greensburg Central Catholic Volleyball Boosters in Aug 2022, Park Police Association of Westmoreland County Gun and Purse Bash in March 2023, Healing Hunger Beaver County Purse and Cash Bash at the House of Prayer Lutheran Church, Aliquippa PA in March 2023 and the Christ Lutheran Church Pittsburgh Golf Outing in April 2023. Employees of CME were given the opportunity to participate in several mission events organized by the sister company Concordia Community Support Services. These are part of an ongoing Mission Committee that was formed to organize opportunities for employees to serve the community. A team member of CME sat on the Mission Committee for half of the fiscal year. The Mission Events during the fiscal year were: Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank Drive-Up Food Distribution at Knoch School District in July and Aug 2023, Remote Area Medical Clinic in Butler County in Nov 2023, Lighthouse Foundation Food Pantry Collection Drive during Nov 2023 and the Center for Community Resources Bundle-Up Butler winter coat collection drive during Nov and Dec 2023.These donations, sponsorships and mission events are some of the many ways we serve God by providing for the needs of His people.