March 19, 2019
THEDACARE AT HOME PROVIDES PATIENT SUPPORT
Lift Chair Experience Highlights Importance of Patient Connection
WEYAUWEGA, Wis. – When Diane Trindal’s lift chair finally gave out after more than a decade of use, she first went through a large furniture retailer for a new one. Sadly, she was dissatisfied with both the product and the experience.
“I have a lot of back problems, and I’ve had both my knees replaced, one of them twice,” Trindal said. “Now, I have diabetes. I have a lot of trouble getting out of a chair if it’s too low.”
Trindal, who lives in Weyauwega, decided instead to turn to ThedaCare At Home, where her husband, who passed away nine years ago, had originally bought the lift chair that she was currently using. The springs eventually gave out on that well-loved chair.
“The quality and fabric were fabulous,” said Trindal. “I hoped I could find a chair just like it.”
Trindal spoke with Cindy Wulf, DME (Durable Medical Equipment) Specialist at ThedaCare At Home. Wulf helped walk Trindal through her options.
“We talk about the quality of the chair and how it’s made,” Wulf said. “With our warranty, you can always call us or stop in if you have a problem. We’re definitely willing to listen to and work with our customers to make sure they get the right product that works best for them.”
When picking out a new chair, Trindal brought a swatch of her current chair along. Wulf checked with various locations to track down the specific color.
“She decided on the blue chair that we had here in our offices, so we went through the functions with her,” Wulf said. “It was very similar to the chair she had.”
The new chair was delivered in January to Trindal’s home in Weyauwega. Trindal said
Wulf was “more than helpful,” going out of her way to make calls to try to locate the color of fabric that she preferred for the chair.
“I want to get her some flowers and a thank you note, she was so nice,” Trindal said.
Randy Lutz, Manager of DME Operations and Intake for ThedaCare At Home, explained the focus of the department is not on selling products, but on working with patients to ensure they go home with the medical equipment and supplies that will truly help them.
“Our DME specialists are experts in the products we carry, and they ask our customers a lot of questions to understand exactly how they’ll be using them,” Lutz said. “By doing that, we can really help guide the customer to the selection that best meets their needs.”
ThedaCare At Home has five locations in Appleton, New London, Oshkosh, Shawano and Waupaca.
About ThedaCare
For more than 110 years, ThedaCare® has been committed to finding a better way to deliver serious and complex healthcare to patients throughout Northeast and Central Wisconsin. The organization serves a community of more than 600,000 residents and employs more than 6,700 healthcare professionals throughout the regions. ThedaCare has seven hospitals located in Appleton, Neenah, Berlin, Waupaca, Shawano, New London and Wild Rose as well as 31 clinics in nine counties. ThedaCare is the first in Wisconsin to be a Mayo Clinic Care Network Member, giving our specialists the ability to consult with Mayo Clinic experts on a patient’s care. ThedaCare is a non-profit healthcare organization with a level II trauma center, comprehensive cancer treatment, stroke and cardiac programs as well as a foundation dedicated to community service.
For more information, visit www.thedacare.org or follow ThedaCare on Facebook and Twitter.
Media should call Cassandra Wallace, Public Relations Specialist at 920.442.0328 or the ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah switchboard at 920.729.3100 and ask for the marketing person on call.
