HOUSTON (May 27, 2011) US Med-Equip, the innovative provider of movable medical equipment rentals, sales and service, today announced that it has been awarded the contract to serve as first-call provider for the rental of movable medical equipment for the Louisiana State University (LSU) Hospital System, one of the nation's largest public healthcare delivery systems. The contract is managed by Amerinet, the national healthcare group purchasing organization.

"This is a great day for US Med-Equip and we are proud of the confidence that LSU Health and Amerinet have placed in us," said Greg Salario, vice president of business development for US Med-Equip. "While we have served several LSU hospitals and clinics over the years, this new relationship recognizes the scope of US Med-Equip's capabilities and our commitment to service that puts patient care first," he said.

US Med-Equip's record of service to LSU Health and its innovative, proprietary equipment tracking and reporting technology were two attributes that helped secure the contract, according to Salario. In addition, he said cost-conscious healthcare executives find US Med-Equip's equity option, which enables customers to apply a portion of rental payments toward an equipment purchase, to be an attractive benefit.

Commencing this month, the new agreement encompasses medical equipment rentals for LSU Health locations across the state including hospitals, clinics, schools and specialty facilities. US Med-Equip will provide these facilities a wide range of medical devices as needed, such as respiratory, monitoring, infusion, neonatal and many other types of movable medical equipment. US Med-Equip provides 24-hour service to the LSU Health System through its offices in New Orleans, Shreveport and Lafayette, Louisiana.

US Med-Equip's proprietary online equipment tracking and reporting software, called SMARTS, is a management tool available to LSU Health managers and executives system wide. Using bar coding and sometimes RFID technology to prevent lost equipment, the SMARTS software platform provides healthcare organizations improved tracking and management of medical equipment rentals, said Salario. Over its 11 year history, he adds, the software has evolved to a best-in-class platform used by individual hospitals and across healthcare enterprises.

"Using our SMARTS platform, managers are enabled with the tools to manage their equipment and budgets. They can log on and track the location and status of their rental inventory, receive prompts for medical equipment that is coming due for preventative maintenance, view invoices and create reports on usage and expenses," said Salario. "That kind of information at your fingertips is invaluable for effectively managing medical equipment needs and costs."

Salario added that LSU Health senior administrators will find US Med-Equip's SMARTS platform useful in analyzing data on equipment rentals system wide. "Medical equipment rentals are becoming increasingly more important in the current economic environment and hospitals want to efficiently manage their programs," he said.

While the technology is important, Salario pointed out that it cannot replace the value of quality service. "We worked hard every day over several years to demonstrate our commitment to the hospitals in Louisiana, the LSU Health System and its patients," he said, "At US Med-Equip, we never forget that what counts most is having the right medical equipment on hand when it's needed."

With 11 offices located in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and North Dakota, privately held US Med-Equip continues to grow at a brisk pace by capitalizing on its reputation for reliable service, technology innovation and commitment to quality in the medical equipment rentals, sales and service sector. Last year, the Houston-based company generated over $12.3 million in revenue and expanded its movable medical equipment inventory to over $15 million.

For more information about US Med-Equip, visit the company website at www.usmedequip.com.

About US Med-Equip

Houston-based US Med-Equip is an innovative healthcare company specializing in the rental, sales and service of movable biomedical equipment for high acuity medical settings. Widely known for its 24/7 personalized attention to customer needs, US Med-Equip provides medical facilities across the country with effective options in the management of their biomedical equipment rentals, purchase and maintenance. Value-added customer services include online account access, RFID equipment tracking and other advanced information technology solutions, as well as flexible payment options. Dedication to patient care and to promoting the healing process is at the core of the US Med-Equip culture and drives daily operations focused on quality healthcare solutions from its 11 offices in five states. For more information, visit usmedequip.com.