Cyber Monday Discounts Expected for Medical Supplies

Cyber Monday price savings have now crossed into medical supplies. Cyber Monday is the first working day after the Thanksgiving weekend. Cyber Monday follows "Black Friday", the biggest shopping day of the year--the day after Thanksgiving. On Cyber Monday, people search the Internet at work and at home for holiday specials, discounts and savings on their Christmas shopping list. Last year, $887 million was spent by Internet shoppers on Cyber Monday. Growth of Cyber Monday shopping is expected to top $1 billion within a few short years. Reaching $900 million this year is very likely with the recent improvements in the country’s economic outlook.

Part of the huge growth of Internet holiday shopping on Cyber Monday includes the quickly growing home medical supply segment. Medical Supplies are usually associated with an older target audience that finds itself with increasing medical needs. This segment of people over the age of 55 make up 46% of Internet users. "Older generations use the Internet as a tool for research, shopping and banking." (PewResearch, Generations Online in 2009, January 28, 29009) Younger generations tend to use the Internet to socialize and for news. The generations above age 55 have greater medical needs than younger generations. These increased medical needs generate significant purchases of medical supplies are most often associated with necessity rather than luxury. This market segment often has limited income and many are living on retirement funds and therefore search the Internet looking for bargains. They search for wholesale medical supplies and discount medical supplies that will fit into their tight budgets. Some of the shopping criteria used by these Cyber Shoppers include Free Shipping, No Restocking Fees, Same Day Shipping, Price Matching and Discount Pricing.

Since medical supplies for this target market are a necessity, this segment will likely produce sharp growth well into the future. This coming Cyber Monday is no exception. Some expect medical supply sales to increase by 30% this holiday season. Some shoppers find that medical supplies make great holiday gifts for aging family members or others who are recovering from surgery or a major illness.

The medical supplies rising in demand on holiday shopping lists include the following categories: Impotence Products, Incontinence Supplies, Wound Care, Medical Tapes & Adhesives, Mobility Aids, Respiratory Therapy Products, Compression Therapy Products and Home Living Aids. While home living aids are not “necessity” products, this category offers products adaptable for much wider audience. Respiratory therapy products are purchased as gifts by close family members for ailing parents who can no longer afford required medical equipment like oxygen concentrators, CPAP machines or cough assist devices. This medical equipment is often required for survival so many family members justify the purchase of these medical devices as helping a loved one while at the same time completing a holiday shopping list.

One of the prominent medical supply Internet retailers that plan to offer significant discounts for Cyber Monday shoppers is Vitality Medical. As an Internet medical supplier for the past 10 years, Vitality Medical has seen significant sales growth during holiday shopping and plans to offer what cyber shoppers are looking for. Brad Packer, president of Vitality Medical states that this year they plan to give Cyber Monday shoppers everything they want, including Free Shipping, No Restocking Fees, Same Day Shipping, as well as price reductions.” Mr. Packer continues, “Its not just discounts and great sales policies that Internet shoppers demand. They want great customer service. Vitality Medical has achieved a Five Star Rating with ResellerRatings.com and a A+ with the Better Business Bureau. Although the economy has shown some improvement, many who are unemployed or retired have not experienced any increases to their income. We are here to help with an additional 15% holiday discount on our already wholesale pricing.1” Cyber Shoppers can find these specials posted on Monday at VitalityMedical.com

Can I Travel by Air With My Portable Oxygen Concentrator?

For many people receiving oxygen therapy, a portable oxygen concentrator is the preferred delivery method because of the mobility and freedom to travel they afford the user. One of the most popular questions oxygen users ask is whether they can travel by air with their portable oxygen concentrator or not. The good news is that the Federal Aviation Administration (or, FAA) allows some makes and models of POC's to accompany travelers on an airplane.

The FAA's decision to investigate whether travel by air with a portable oxygen concentrator was safe came in response to the intense pressure from Americans who rely on oxygen treatment daily. Portable oxygen concentrators have been approved for use on-board aircraft because, unlike their compressed-oxygen predecessors, they do not pose a risk to other passengers.

Some of the portable oxygen concentrators that are approved for use on-board planes include: Inogen One G2 Portable Oxygen Concentrator with the lowest weight at only 7.25 pounds, SeQual Eclipse Portable Oxygen Concentrator with 5 year warranty, Invacare SOLO2 Travel Oxygen Concentrator with 3 LPM continuous oxygen flow and 1.8 LPM pulse oxygen, Invacare XPO2 Portable Oxygen Concentrator with the lowest power consumption, Respironics EverGo with 4 hours of battery life before requiring a recharge, Oxlife Independence the first true 24/7 oxygen concentrator with the longest battery life (5.75 hours) and a durable metal cabinet, Lifechoice Concentrator with the smallest size, and the DeVillbiss iGo with an operating altitude of 13,123 feet above sea level.

It is important to note that despite these advances, not every airline allows portable oxygen concentrators on-board. To be sure you won't run into any trouble, passengers are advised to check with the airline no less than 48 hours before your flight is set to depart if you require a POC for travel.

Currently, the following airlines (in alphabetical order) allow travel by air with portable oxygen concentrators:

American Airlines

America West

Alaskan Airlines

Air France

Allegiant Airlines

ATA Airlines

Continental Airlines

Delta Airlines

Frontier Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines

Lufthansa

Midwest Airlines

Northwest Airlines

Qantas

SAS Airlines

South West Airlines

Sun Country

USA 3000

US Airways

West Jet Airlines

Even if the airline you intend to travel on is listed above, however, you still need to provide a signed doctor's note outlining that you require your portable oxygen concentrator. The note must indicate that you can adequately respond to alarms, to see and hear effectively, and whether your oxygen is required for all or part of the trip. In addition, your doctor should specify the required flow taking into consideration the pressure in the airplane cabin. You can find a template for a doctor's note for this purpose at the following link: Portable Oxygen Airline Use Physician’s Note. Simply ask your doctor to fill out and sign the form well in advance of your travel plans.

The FAA's decision to allow passengers to travel by air with their portable oxygen concentrators was largely based on the advances made in oxygen concentrator technology. Previously, compressed oxygen tanks were not permitted on aircraft because of the potential for them to explode under the variable pressures of the cabin. These days, however, it is possible for oxygen therapy patients to travel by air with their portable oxygen concentrators which pose a very minimal risk compared with compressed tanks. In fact, it's not only possible, it's easy.

If you are looking to travel by air in the future and would like to buy a Portable Oxygen Concentrator, consider buying from an Online Medical Supply source like Vitality Medical. They have a variety of choices that will have you traveling again by airline in no time!

Where Can You Buy Hospital Bed Accessories?

Choose Vitality Medical For Hospital Beds

Hospital beds and accessories come in many different varieties and makes. Where can you find them on the Internet? Try Vitalitymedical.com, they stack up on all kinds of medical equipment from tapes to hospital beds. They even provide discounts for 365 days of the year. You will always find a good offer on vitalitymedical.com for some product every day.

Hospital beds are quite different from your average household beds. They have mechanisms to raise or lower the height of the bed, to move the bed into a half-sitting position and do many more things. These beds are geared towards providing the ultimate comfort to the patient. For example, a patient recovering from some kind of abdominal surgery will not be able to sleep completely flat on a normal bed. But, with a hospital bed, the upper half of the bed can be raised so that the abdomen is not horizontal. This considerably reduces discomfort and aids the patient in getting much needed rest. There are basically two types of hospital beds, both of which you will find in the hospital beds and accessories section of vitalitymedical.com Hospital Beds page.

Hospital Bed Accessories Available

The age of the uncomfortable hospital bed mattresses has passed. Today you can get mattresses designed for your individual needs. If you are looking for durability as well as comfort then the traditional innerspring mattresses are perfect. You can also opt for a bariatric mattress which is made of hard foam that provides great support to the patient and makes them feel at home. These mattresses can be bought from the Bed Mattresses section of VitalityMedical.com. To accommodate further comfort for the patient you can buy Mattress Overlays which can be of the air type or floatation type. The air type overlay has small air pockets which provide an added level of comfort to the user. The floatation type overlay goes one step further and provides an escape route for liquids as well. This type of overlay is perfect for those elderly patients who have a problem in dispersing urine without damaging the mattress underneath it. Another type of mattress is the gel-floatation mattress overlay that functions as a water bed without the swaying motion of a waterbed. This overlay provides the best comfort among all others. Pressure reducing foam mattresses are also available in the bed mattress section of vitalitymedical.com which provides the best comfort to patients suffering from bed sore ulcers. They are easy to setup and also operate. Other than these usual choices you can also go for the luxury types such as water mattresses and bariatric low air mattresses which provide the ultimate comfort and are perfect for home use. They do not give the rocking effect of a normal water bed and hence prove quite comfortable for patients.

When searching for a hospital bed mattress do not equate price with your choice. After all, the patient’s comfort is foremost. Base your decision on what the patient’s condition is and what mattress would serve him best.

Bed Railings For Better Protection

Elderly patients and children are at the greatest risk of falling out of bed and suffering injuries. Although a small distance from the ground, a fall off of a hospital bed can result in serious fractures and aggravation of other injuries. Ensuring that children, high risk patients and fall management patients stay on the bed while sleeping can be accomplished with the use of bed side rails. You can find a variety of bed rails on vitalitymedical.com such as the T-shaped bed rail, hospital bed rail, padded bedrails, full length telescopic rails, children’s bed rails, etc. Some rail systems confine a person physically while others provide a minimum level of security and aid them in getting up or down. For a mentally impaired patient or person suffering from psychomotor disorder, there are rails to prevent involuntary movements. Vertical rails are used to help patients sit-up. Hospital bed rails do only confine a patient; they can perform many more functions as well such as serving as a grab bar or assist rail. When choosing a bed rail always remember that they are very important for the full and safe recovery of a patient. It is very easy to overlook rails and later repent over an accident on how easy it could have been to avert such an accident. So, make sure you invest on rails to cover the bed edges.

Other Accessories

Other than beds, mattresses, and rails you may need wedges, pillows and cushions to provide support to the head or body. You can find this as well on vitalitymedical.com. Investing in pillows and cushions is a great way to show your patients that you care for them and their comfort is of great interest to you. Not only do they beautify a bed but also provide support to the head and neck regions. Specially made hospital pillows can be easily washed and dried and are essential for patient comfort.

Advantages Of Using Vitality Medical

Hospital beds, mattresses, mattress overlays, rails and pillows are some of the medical supply items that you can purchase online at vitalitymedical.com. There are discounts to help you make an economical purchase. Vitality Medical provides all kinds of hospital beds and accessories at much wholesale prices and has steep discounts on various products throughout the year. You can even check for many other hospital supplies and also personal healthcare products as well. It is a great site not only for hospitals and care centers but also for home needs as well. Above all, Vitality Medical does not have a restocking fee so if you are dissatisfied with the product you have purchased then you can return it to us within 30 days and for a full refund.

What Are Handicap Accessible Bathrooms? Options that do not require remodeling.

Making a shower handicap friendly

Handicapped individuals usually quickly learn how to cope with their new circumstances and adapt their handicap to their daily lives. However, one of the most difficult adaptations is daily bathing. Often daily bathing requires dependence upon another person for assistance. Nobody likes to lose their dignity, even the physically impaired. Unfortunately life circumstances have made it so that handicapped individuals find that they have to compromise with their dignity.

Shower areas are commonly constructed for use by people without physical impairments. Future possible handicaps are not planned into construction. Therefore, many people who become physically impaired find a need to remodel their showers to make them more handicap friendly. This involves removing any uneven surface and leveling the floor of the bathroom as well as shower area. Remodeling also involves installing grab bars at transition locations like the shower, bath, and commode. A shower seat or bath stool is also an important upgrade. The grab bars assist the handicap person to safely get into the shower or bath or transition to a sitting on the commode or back to a standing position. A shower chair or bath stool allows the individual to bathe without requiring help from another human being.

Showers and bath issues with the handicapped

Regular showers generally have their floor slightly elevated from the bathroom floor so as to stop water from entering the rest of the area. In case of bathrooms with bathtubs, it becomes almost impossible for a handicapped person to enter the shower area. For this purpose, a specially designed lift has to be made which will lower the handicapped into the tub. Again, these modifications are costly and not very effective. The doors to shower areas prove another major hassle. How will a handicapped person get up from the chair and open the door? A common solution is to remove the door to the shower area. Floors should be changed to an anti-skid type to facilitate the safe usage of wheelchairs.

Alternatives to remodeling

Although it is a logical choice to remodel a bathroom for handicap use, it can be very expensive. Most people opt for less expensive alternatives to remodeling. For example, mobile showers are a preferred choice all over the world. These showers can be placed anywhere in the house and do not require a plumber to fix them up. They are easily accessible by a handicapped person by themselves and have proven to be a great alternative to expensive remodeling. Toilets can be improved for the handicap or disabled by raising the seat. Installing bars around the toilet and bringing racks down to their eye level will increase accessibility.

The different types of portable showers available

There are portable showers with a large bathing area to accommodate wheelchairs. This will allow a handicap to take a shower without leaving the safety of a wheel chair. This kind of a shower has a small inclination ramp to facilitate the movement of the wheelchair into the shower area and to prevent it from sliding off. Once in place, the wheelchair can be locked into position, providing another layer of safety. In this shower a hand held showerhead is provided for easy of use in bathing. Similarly for a handicapped person who can stand, there are portable showers which are tall and have bars to which the person can hold on to while taking a shower. These showers are a less expensive alternative to remodeling and can also be used anywhere. The fact that they are portable helps the disabled person take it along wherever they travel.

Other alternatives

If a portable shower is not right for you, consider using a handicap oriented bathtub. These tubs have a lift to provide a platform to get into the tub. Bathtubs specifically designed for the handicap are pricey but they facilitate the full use of the bathtub. Every detail to making it easier for bathing is taken into account. All racks and mirrors should be lowered to sitting level. Making these additions will be cheap and make the bathroom handicap friendly.

Where can I buy portable handicap showers and other accessories?

Vitality Medical carries many bathroom accessibility items to help people who are disabled or handicapped. Their web pages include foldable seats, grab bars, shower commodes and various sizes of portable showers. Making a shower area handicap friendly does not have to be expensive. Vitality Medical has a no restocking fee policy which basically means that if you are not satisfied with your purchase then you can return the product and receive a full refund without extra fees.

Who Is Kendall?

Kendall Medical Supply

Hospital equipment, hospital supplies, home medical supplies and home medical equipment are some of the products supplied by Kendall Medical Supply. This company recently joined forces with Covidien, which manufactures and markets medical supplies such as needles and syringes, incontinence care products, and nursing care products. Kendall provides products that are used in many clinical settings such as hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, long-term care facilities and the patient's own home. Kendall offers inovative solutions to medical procedures and patient outcomes. This global medical products company is a leader in innovation for both hospital devices and in-home care. Covidien Kendall is based in Mansfield, Massachusetts.

Kendall offers the following medical supply categories: incontinence, wound care, enteral feeding, urology, suction, electrodes, thermometry, chart paper, needles, syringes, shaprs disposal, OEM products, and operating room supplies, .

Below is a list of some of the medical supplies and medical equipment marketed by Kendall along with Internet links of where these products can be purchased:

Wound Care

• Poly skin


• Tenderwrap Unna Boot


• Conform Stretch Bandage


• Telfa Ouchless Dressing


• Curity Alcohol Prep Pads


• Excilon Sponge


• Lisco Sponge


• Curity Gauze Sponge


• Gauze Pads


• ABD Pad


• Kerlix Gauze Roll


• Wet Pruf Tape


• Packing Strips

Incontinence Products

1. Disposable Under Pads
   
   
   
   • Tendersorb Underpad
   
   
   • Durasorb Underpad
   
   
   • MaxiCare Underpad
   
   
   • Wings Maxima Underpad
   
   
   • Maxiflo Breathable Underpad



2. Pads
   
   
   
   • Presence Pad
   
   
   • Simplicity Insert Pad
   
   



3. Briefs
   
   
   
   • Wings Classic
   
   
   • Wings Choice
   
   
   • Ables Adult
   
   

Urinary Supplies

• Curity Bedside Drainage Bag


• Curity Urine Leg Bags


• Robinson Catheters


• Texas Catheter


• Uri Drain External Catheter


• Foley Catheter


• Dover Intermittent Catheter


• Catheter Trays

Diabetic Supplies

• Monoject Insulin Safety Syringe


• Softpack Insulin Syringe


• Sharps Containers


• Lancets

Patient Care Equipment and Supplies

• Enteral Feeding Pumps


• Argyle Feeding Tubes


• Anti-embolism Stockings


• Argyle Feeding Tubes


• Nasogastric Feeding Tube


• Curity Disposable Nursing Pads


• Yankauer Suction Instruments


• Wash Cloths


• Moisture Barrier Salve

Kendall Medical Supplies may be ordered from Vitality Medical on their web site, and they will be delivered right to your door. If you can’t find the item you want in Vitality Medical’s online catalog, contact them at 800-397-5899 and they will do their best to locate it for you.

What is the Lowest Priced Oxygen Concentrator?

Many patients now require large doses of oxygen therapy at home. People that are diagnosed with COPD, emphysema, bronchitis, and various other respiratory diseases have a need for at home oxygen therapy. When that is the case, the Home Oxygen Concentrators that are available from Vitality Medical are an excellent option. These Home Oxygen Concentrators range from 5 LPM to 10 LPM. The nice thing about the selection available from Vitality Medical is that there are units to meet most any budget.

The John Bunn Optium

When you are considering the options available in oxygen concentrators, the John Bunn Optium is a very economical choice that provides great value. This unit is compact, lightweight, and easily moved from room to room. It also provides up to 5 LPM and has many other great features as well. Let’s look at a few of those features.

• The John Bunn Optium is the most economical of all of the units that are carried by Vitality Medical.


• This item offers a convenient retractable luggage handle that makes moving it in house, or for transport, an easy task.


• The sleek, attractive, and useful cabinet design makes it appealing for home use, home care, and use in long-term care facilities.


• Designed for low maintenance and excellent reliability.


• This unit is very quiet with a noise ranking under 45 dBA.


• This unit operates very energy efficiently requiring low power consumption which equates to lower cost operation.


• The Optium offers an optional OPI, or oxygen percentage indicator.


• The John Bunn ranks very high in safety as it has a circuit breaker, pressure relief valve, power failure alarm, PCB failure, low and high pressure alarms and a low purity alarm.


• This oxygen concentrator is designed for durability and ease of use. A cooling fan on the compressor extends its life, bottom exhaust helps the unit run cooler, and well-designed castors make mobility easy.


• Five year limited warranty.

Reliability is Key

It is important to know that the unit you purchase is dependable. Because all of the oxygen concentrators that are provided by Vitality Medical are high quality, each has a warranty that stands behind the product. This is extremely important and should go a long way to provide peace of mind to the patients.

While there is more to consider than price alone, Vitality Medical carries a terrific line of oxygen concentrators that are designed to provide the features that each patient needs at a price they can afford. It is important that everyone is able to provide what is necessary to protect and improve their health without breaking the bank. Vitality Medical provides oxygen concentrators and other respiratory supplies that range from 0.5 to 10 LPM, some very compact units, and excellent features of convenience. There are even oxygen concentrators that are only available by prescription.

Why Order from Vitality Medical? We Have No Restocking Fee!

We do not charge Restocking fees

Here at Vitality Medical, we believe that restocking fees, although sometimes quite necessary, should never be charged with an approved refund. But to understand this situation, we need to know why our competitors charge a restocking fee. The idea behind restocking fees is that if the item returned does not have a defect from the manufacture, then it is not the retailer's or manufacturer's fault over your dissatisfaction. So to cover the charges to process, repackage and re-market the product returned, the customer should be charged 10% to 20% of the price of the product.

Vitality Medical does not entirely disagree with the concept behind restocking fees but we do disagree that having such a clause in the purchasing policy with customers puts our customers in a dilemma. A restocking fee means a loss of money to our customers. It means that a customer would rather stick to the product than sending it back because of the fear of not getting a full refund. As a customer with Vitality Medical, when you use the product for the first time you may find that it is not what you were looking for. In such a case, you can decide to send it back to us and we would gladly refund you the entire purchase price, provided the product is a returnable item. In this case, you will only be covering the reshipping charges. However, if the product you purchased is defective, then we will either refund your entire purchase price, including shipping fees or replace the defective item.

How to go about returning a product

At Vitality Medical, we strive to provide the best quality products. We pride ourselves in being able to provide products at cheaper rates than our competitors and have enough confidence in our products that we will give a full refund if you are dissatisfied with your purchase. Therefore, unlike our competitors, we have no restocking fees . All you have to do is give us a call during normal business hours or complete an online refund form. You will receive a reply within 72 hours and a Return Authorization (RA) number to ship the product(s) back.

After you receive the RA number, you create a shipping label with the RA number and the return address provided by email or telephone. Make sure to include this address as we have many warehouses from where we ship our medical supply products. Finally send the product back along with its original packaging through the shipping service (USPS, FEDEX, UPS or freight carrier) that delivered the product to your door originally.

Please allow for up to four weeks for processing your return. This includes the 6 to 7 days it will take to receive the shipment, another 4 to 5 days to process it and lastly the time it will take the bank to process a refund request. You will receive your refund within a month from the date you shipped the product back. Details of Vitality Medical's Return Policy and you Order Status can be viewed online at our web site.

Although we do not charge a restocking fee as a policy, there some exceptions outlined below.

1. Every product returned must have the Return Authorization Number.


2. Products must be returned within 30 days of purchase.


3. The safety seals must be in unopened condition.


4. The product must be in new re-marketable condition.


5. The packaging of the product must include all accessories and parts.


6. Some products due to hygiene, sanitation or safety are deemed non-returnable. There will be no refund on the return of such items.

Products not deemed returnable

Some items returnable because of their nature. These items will be marked as non returnable on the web site and also in the product description. To summarize the products that our return policy does not cover, here is a short list.

1. Personal health care items already opened. Only sealed personal health care items may be returned and refunded.


2. Men’s personal health items.


3. All the items marked as Special Order (*SP).


4. All custom items. Items specifically tailored to meet your requirements cannot be returned as they are unique to your needs and may not be marketable to others.

Non-returnable products are essentially products that cannot be resold to another individual. However, if a non-returnable product is shipped due to our error, you may telephone our toll free number (800-397-5899) to resolve the issue. Upon verification of such cases, Vitality Medical will refund the purchase price and shipping charges. We look forward to serving you in all your medical supply needs.

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