Lending a helping hand or wheelchair

The employees at Bellevue Healthcare, located at the former Staples building on Warbonnet Drive in Moscow, have what at first glance is an unenviable job.

A large part of their duties includes driving to homes where someone is in hospice care to deliver and assemble medical supplies.

"All of us have set up hospital beds for people who are dying," Moscow Branch Manager Stuart Kelly said.

He said being part of that experience gives them valuable perspective about why their service exists.

"It makes you a little more alert to how you do things and why you do things," he said.

The storefront for the medical equipment store is still a work in progress. There is no sign on the front of the building, but Bellevue Healthcare has been open for business since April 14 and sends its vans to Pullman, Moscow and the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley on a daily basis, Kelly said.

There are 17 branches in Washington, Idaho and Portland, and Kelly said the company is the largest medical equipment provider in the Northwest.

The company expanded to Pullman in 2014, but found the location in Moscow would be better suited for a permanent location with space for a large showroom.

"This is the nicest showroom in the company," Kelly said.

Bellevue Healthcare has contracts with hospice organizations on the Palouse and in Clarkston, including Kindred Hospice and Elite Home and Health Hospice.

Kelly said it also works with every major insurance agency to provide anything from supplies for pediatric care to end of life care. Kelly said the Bellevue Healthcare Moscow branch is the only business of its kind between Spokane and Boise.

The items it sells, assembles and customizes include beds for special needs children, wheelchairs, walkers, crutches and CPAP machines.

He said mobility equipment such as custom power wheelchairs are currently in high demand, he said.

Anybody in need of equipment can call or walk into the store, he said. Kelly said they can help anyone from someone who recently broke their leg to someone dealing with a serious illness, like Lou Gherig's disease.

He hopes more people will become aware that Bellevue Healthcare is an option for them, as many people don't know where to turn if they or a loved one need a wheelchair or a walker.

Most, he said, assume they can only order from companies in larger cities, and many are also unsure what they can afford under their insurance or Medicare. He encourages them to walk into the Moscow store and talk to the employees about their options.

With their new location, he believes Bellevue Healthcare will become a familiar asset on the Palouse.

"We're here for the long term," he said.

Anthony Kuipers can be reached at (208) 883-4640, or by email to akuipers@dnews.com.