HME Children’s Medical Equipment Distribution Service (CMEDS)

CMEDS is a provincial program that is available to families with children qualifying for the At Home Program. CMEDS recycles equipment funded by the At Home Program, and provides families with recycled equipment across BC. As the equipment manager, HME will process requests for deliveries of equipment with direction received by the provincial government.

Please note that HME can provide equipment for post-operation equipment requirements as does Red Cross. You may contact Red Cross or MCFD for more information.

MCFD Role

The MCFD is responsible for approving all equipment loans from the program, as well as qualifying families to access the equipment.

HME is responsible for setting up and delivering approved loans of equipment, picking up equipment, and servicing all At Home Program equipment over 2 years or outside the manufactures warranty period.
These equipment loans include the following types of equipment:

• Manual and tilt wheelchairs
• Powerchairs
• Hospital beds, Mobility Equipment (walkers, standers)
• Patient lifts
• Bathroom safety equipment
• Slings
• Therapy positioning devices
• Biomedical equipment (see biomedical section of website for further information)

For clients in the lower mainland and Southern Vancouver Island, HME does the equipment delivery, setup, pickup of equipment and servicing.

For clients outside lower mainland and Southern Vancouver Island, the CMEDS program uses local dealers in those areas to provide services.

CMEDS Hours of Operation

MCFD and HME operate the CMEDS program Monday to Friday from 8:30-4:30pm. MCFD adjusters are available to approve equipment/process requests and send to HME during these hours of operation, and HME processes them during this time. CMEDS is not open on the weekends, and the program does not offer emergency after hours or weekend support. Please note the program is also closed for all Canadian Statutory holidays.

New Loan Request Form

The MCFD requires that therapists prescribe all equipment. In order to access equipment, a prescribing therapist must fill in and submit the CMEDS Equipment Request Form directly to the ministry. Once the MCFD receives, reviews and approves the form, they submit the form to HME, where we process the equipment. If equipment is available, HME will contact the therapist and inform them the loan is available of equipment. If equipment is not available, HME will let the MCFD know, so a quote can be submitted to the AHP once the appropriate equipment has been determined by the therapist.

Please see Equipment Loan Request Form you may complete and submit to MCFD.