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When patients suffer illnesses or injuries, Methodist Health System physical and occupational therapists work to help them on the road to recovery. Sometimes in that recovery phase, patients need assistance from home medical equipment in order to return home.

Unfortunately, home medical equipment can be pricey, and it isn’t always covered by insurance – if a patient has an insurance provider. So when it’s equipment needed temporarily as patients gain strength and heal, it’s a bill many simply can’t afford to pay.

If they're unable to afford necessary medical equipment, many patients recovering from  stroke, amputation, orthopedic surgeries, cancer or other illnesses are not able to discharge to home safely or be independent with caring for themselves.

The Methodist Equipment Loan Program provides patients in need with access to free home medical equipment through a recycle-and-reuse program, enabling them to focus on recovery at home.

The program – run by Methodist staff and occupational therapy students– collects donated home medical equipment, ensures it’s cleaned per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) standards and in good working order, and then loans the equipment free of charge to those who need it most.

In 2025 alone, the program served 460 patients, saving an estimated $130,000.