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Lynn Gonzales
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The SCOOTER Store
(830)626-4064
Julian Read
Ben Flusche
GCI Read-Polan
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Press Releases
The SCOOTER Store Awarded Accreditation by National Commission
NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas, February 23, 2004—The SCOOTER Store, the nation's leading supplier of power wheelchairs and scooters, has earned accreditation from the independent national body that prescribes standards of operation for companies in the healthcare field.
The Accreditation Commission for Health Care, Inc. (ACHC) notified The SCOOTER Store that it has been awarded accredited status after completing a seven-month process that required compliance with 58 separate standards covering eight areas of operation.
"The SCOOTER Store provides a quality, sound product supported by a productive and professional staff with a good business ethic," said Wayne Link, surveyor for the Accreditation Commission for Health Care, Inc. "Their six core ideologies were more than just words. They were a part of their daily business plan."
Sherry Samuels, vice president of ACHC, said The SCOOTER Store's "preparedness, compliance with accreditation standards and friendly and professional staff helped facilitate a smooth, efficient and successful survey process."
Company founder and CEO Doug Harrison hailed the accreditation as confirmation of The SCOOTER Store's enunciated principle to "always do the right thing."
"We welcome this equivalent of the 'Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval,'" he said. "It is added evidence that our customers are receiving the highest level of service, dependability and integrity when they entrust their mobility needs to The SCOOTER Store."
Harrison noted that the accreditation is particularly timely and meaningful to consumers in view of recently reported cases of Medicare fraud relating to claims for power wheelchairs and scooters filed by physicians and suppliers operating outside the law.
"It is important that consumers are able to distinguish between legitimate, ethical providers like us, and those who would defraud the Medicare system," he said.
Margaret McGuckin, executive vice president for marketing, said the ACHC action validates The SCOOTER Store's own longstanding internal practices.
She pointed out that The SCOOTER Store has taken the lead in working for higher, uniform standards in the power mobility industry, and she expressed hope that other suppliers will pursue accreditation.
The SCOOTER Store, headquartered in New Braunfels, Texas, recently opened four retail locations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area featuring a full line of healthcare products. The company now operates more than 60 total locations coast to coast.
Every day, employee-owners dedicate themselves to helping others achieve freedom and independence. The SCOOTER Store recently was named to FORTUNE magazine's "Top 100 Companies to Work For" list for 2004.
About The SCOOTER Store
Since 1991, The SCOOTER Store has helped provide freedom and independence to more than 400,000 people with limited mobility. The SCOOTER Store offers a full line of durable medical equipment, including power wheelchairs and scooters, lifts, ramps and accessories in all 48 contiguous states plus Puerto Rico. The SCOOTER Store has worked with more than 150,000 physicians, providing expertise and quality service to their patients, and is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care.
