Discontinuation of Loan Closet at Community and Home Care

The Allamakee County Board of Health and Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care (Allamakee Public Health) have announced they will be dissolving the loan closet, effective September 1. The loan closet is housed in the Community and Home Care Department at Veterans Memorial Hospital and is comprised of a variety of pieces of durable medical equipment such as shower chairs, raised toilet seats, wheel chairs, and other pieces of home medical equipment that were available on loan for just a small $10 fee.

All those involved in this decision were very reluctant to dissolve the loan closet, but all agreed the decision did need to be made for a variety of reasons.

“We were all very reluctant at our July meeting to dissolve the loan closet,” states Jeanne Stein, Chair of the Allamakee County Board of Health. “Unfortunately, we have a lot of issues getting these pieces of durable medical equipment returned when they are loaned out. In addition, there are other liability issues and upkeep of the equipment which determined our decision.”

Sheryl Darling-Mooney, RN, Public Health Supervisor, adds, “It is with deep regret that we have come to the decision of discontinuing the Loan Closet, but patient safety has to be our main concern.  It has become impossible to maintain the equipment to the level it needs to be and replacing the equipment has become cost prohibitive; therefore, we feel we have no other choice at this time.”

The Board of Health and Community and Home Care have alerted both Shopko and Hartig Drug in Waukon to the fact the loan closet will be closed as of September 1 so those two locations can be prepared with a higher inventory of these commonly used pieces of durable medical equipment to have them readily available to the community.

For more information, call the Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care Department at 563-568-5660.