(MIAMI, FL, Aug. 19) - As the doors closed on the 15th Annual FIME Show in Miami, Mike Johns, Project Manager, and Phil Jacobus, President of DOTmed, counted their new contacts -- there were plenty -- and wanted to recount an encounter they had with International Aid, a leading global charity.

While the weather was hot and steamy outside the show, things were just as hot inside. By the final hours on Friday, the DOTmed team had talked with over 400 attendees who were very interested in the concept of buying and selling used medical equipment online. But DOTmed isn't just about business, and among the many people coming by that Phil Jacobus was impressed with, were Jim Loeffler and Steve Rienstra of International Aid.

International Aid is a not-for-profit Christian relief development

agency that provides and supports healthcare solutions in developing nations. International Aid is one of the largest non-profit hospital equipment providers in the US, and has been endorsed by such luminaries as former First Lady, Barbara Bush, Secretary of State Colin Powell, and Elizabeth Dole, wife of Senator Dole.

International Aid has five biomed technicians on staff with over 70 years combined biomedical experience. They repair or refurbish medical equipment the organization receives for donation to hospitals and clinics around the world. In addition, they convert the power to the specific country power requirements.

They have many requests to fill. Desperately needed equipment includes:
- Surgical tables, Amsco 1080 & 2080s
- Surgical lighting, Skytron Steris (Polaris & Quantum, ALM)
- Electro-surgical units (Valley Lab Force 40, Conmed Excaliber)- Diagnostic Ultrasound machines
- Patient monitoring equipment
- Portable X-ray machines

They also handle all general medical equipment. Their organization is a registered 501(c)3 charity, and anything donated is tax deductible - and more importantly, you get that great feeling of doing a good deed.

"It's amazing what little it takes to greatly increase the level of healthcare in a developing nation," commented Mr. Loeffler. "They need things we take for granted," he noted, "for example, we set up a clinic in a small village outside Kabul, Afghanistan. It was the first time the people there had any kind of healthcare services in a generation."


Waiting in line for water - Banda Aceh

Loeffler is the Senior Biomedical Technician and Equipment Procurement Officer and he talks to the hospitals about equipment to be donated. Steve Rienstra is the Corporate Equipment Procurement Manager and he travels to medical equipment companies around the nation. Jim has been with International Aid for 6 years and he is a retired Navy biomedical technician. International Aid is headquartered in Spring Lake, MI.

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