Lincare in Florence, Oregon really put my family through a lot. My dad needed cpap and bipap machines, as well as oxygen, and toward the end of his life he needed walkers, a hospital bed, wheelchair and other supplies. Nothing was ever easy with Lincare! Everything was sent in the wrong size or without proper gear. For example the wheelchair was sent without foot rests, bed sent without a mattress, they wouldn't supply small oxygen bottles that he was used to and could stash in walker seat, only big bottles on caddy he was supposed to pull behind him. Impossible and down right dangerous for a patient who uses a walker! He was approved by insurance for a portable oxygen concentrator, unfortunately that never came. He was housebound by the time we were told by a delivery person that there were machines sitting in their storage room and staff was unsure which patients had been approved for them. Hospice nurses and my family were frustrated to no end by how unprofessional and rude the office staff was. I was hung up on by the office manager. They accused my mom of lying and said my dad broke equipment, which was untrue. Even delivery people from the company agreed that the office was completely unorganized. One was sent to the house twice with the same ill fitting wheelchair feet before we were told they would not be providing feet that fit, rendering the wheelchair useless for my dad. After the clunky hospital bed was delivered it sat in my parents house for an entire month before a mattress arrived. This meant my dad had to sleep sitting up for the last month of his life. He passed away the night the mattress came, when he was finally able to lay down. Heartbreaking.
Obviously I can't blame Lincare for my dad being sick. However, he could have been a lot more comfortable. He could have gotten out more, enjoyed more fresh air, and been able to rest a little easier in the final months of his life had he been able to get the insurance approved equipment that he needed and was entitled to. Prior to Lincare he used a company in Eugene who delivered supplies with no problem. We figured that a local company would be more convenient but we were sadly mistaken. They used being located in a small town as an excuse for not being able to supply the equipment they should. Supplying people with medical equipment is an extremely important job, if you can't do it well, don't! Especially in a town with such a high population of seniors. Shame on Lincare! We contacted the head of the company to try to get some quicker results and he was unable to help. I believe this branch should be shut down. My mother and I are in the process of writing an open letter to Lincare, as well as filing complaints with insurance provider and Department of Health and Human Services.
Bottom line: I wouldn't recommend Lincare to my worst enemy! read more