Contributed by Randy Miller
When a Mat-Su Valley resident receives durable medical equipment following surgery, an injury or another medical need, they see the staff member who helps them find the equipment that best meets their needs. What they may not see is everything that happens behind the scenes to ensure each piece of equipment is safe, dependable and ready for use.
Staff members are the driving force behind the Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Lending Program, helping thousands of Valley residents access essential medical equipment each year. Their responsibilities extend far beyond distributing durable medical equipment. Every day, equipment is inspected, sanitized, repaired, organized and inventoried to ensure it is safe, functional and ready for the next person in need.
One of the DME lending staff’s most important responsibilities is ensuring every donated or returned item is thoroughly cleaned before it enters service again. DME Lending staff utilizes the HUBSCRUB medical equipment cleaning system, an enclosed industrial-grade machine specifically designed to wash and disinfect durable medical equipment. The $25,000 system was purchased through a grant from the Alaska Community Foundation, providing our DME Lending Program with hospital-grade sanitation capabilities.
Wheelchairs, walkers, commodes, shower chairs and other durable medical equipment undergo a comprehensive cleaning cycle using high-pressure water, hospital-grade cleaning solutions and ultraviolet (UV) light to help disinfect against pathogens including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) and Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). After cleaning, staff inspect each item and disinfect high-touch surfaces using EPA-approved germicidal bleach wipes.
Donated and returned equipment is evaluated, cleaned, repaired when necessary and prepared for reuse rather than discarded. This process keeps usable medical equipment out of local landfills while extending the life of valuable community resources. Each wheelchair, walker, hospital bed or bedside commode returned to circulation represents money saved for a local family and one less item entering the waste stream.
Once equipment has been cleaned and inspected, every piece receives a unique identification number and barcode before being entered into Valley Charities’ Asset Tiger asset management database. The system allows staff to locate equipment, monitor items currently on loan, document inspections and repairs, generate inventory reports and track the grant funding source used to purchase individual pieces of durable medical equipment.
Managing durable medical equipment loans requires considerable staff time. This is our five-step process: we make a courtesy reminder call the week the equipment is due to return; if borrowed equipment is not returned after the courtesy reminder call, we send an email; if it is not returned after the courtesy email reminder, we send a letter; if it is still not returned, a final letter is mailed out; and if the borrowed equipment is not returned, we must remove the medical equipment from our inventory, which reduces the amount of equipment we can loan out.
The work of the DME Lending staff is supported through a grant from the Mat-Su Health Foundation, which helps fund operational costs for the Durable Medical Equipment Lending Program. Additional grants and generous community donations provide equipment and resources that allow the program to continue serving residents throughout the Valley.
Their efforts have a measurable impact throughout the Mat-Su Valley. From January through August 2026 alone, the organization helped 1,486 Mat-Su Valley residents by providing access to 2,295 pieces of durable medical equipment. The lending of this equipment saved residents $494,715 compared to purchasing equipment outright.
While wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds and other durable medical equipment devices may be the most visible part of the program, its true strength lies in the people who make it work every day. Their impact is measured not only in dollarssaved and equipment distributed, but also in independence restored, stress reduced, dignity preserved and lives improved. Every piece of equipment that leaves the durable medical lending program has passed through caring hands dedicated to making sure it is clean, safe, properly maintained, accurately tracked and ready to help another Valley resident.
Valley Charities, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing life-changing programs and opportunities to Valley residents. VCI has been quietly serving the Mat-Su Borough for 70 years. Through its Housing Assistance Partnership Program, Mat-Su Reentry Program, Medical Equipment Lending Program and Turn-A-Leaf Thrift Stores, alongside many strong community partnerships, VCI serves the needs of Valley residents and helps them thrive. These compassionate programs encompass and fulfill VCI’s vision to make the Mat-Su Valley a healthier and happier place to reside for everyone.
For more info, visit valleycharities.org or call (907) 376-5740.
