Healthcare providers turning to USME, leading provider of medical equipment and patient beds and therapeutic surfaces, to prepare for patient surges

HOUSTON—With the CDC reporting flu cases starting to climb, healthcare providers across the U.S. are preparing for an early wave of influenza this winter. In addition to urging everyone eligible to get immunized against COVID-19 and the flu, hospitals are renting medical equipment from US Med-Equip (USME) to help treat any influx of patients expected this flu season.

The cases of respiratory illnesses caused by the flu typically start to climb exponentially in November, spike through the holiday months and peak through the end of February. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week reported “early increases in seasonal influenza activity…in most of the United States.”

Amid prolonged strain on clinical staff and budgets since COVID struck, hospitals are turning to trusted partner USME—the nation’s leading provider of respiratory, neonatal, infusion and other devices—to bolster their supplies of life-saving equipment before the annual flu epidemic strikes. The Houston-based company partners with top hospitals across the nation in the rental, sales, service and asset management of movable medical equipment ranging from ventilators to patient beds and therapeutic surfaces that a hospital may need based on the number of patients expected or admitted at the time.

“We’re all hoping for a mild season with low case numbers and as few hospitalizations as possible, but healthcare providers are not waiting for flu cases to spike before securing and servicing equipment to be ready to help any surge of patients,” US Med-Equip CEO Greg Salario said.