On its 20th anniversary, Rehab Medical is attributing its success to first taking care of its team members and their families.
In celebrating the milestone, the Indianapolis, Indiana-based Complex Rehab Technology (CRT) provider is looking back — at its durable medical equipment (DME) beginnings and COVID-19 pandemic strategies — and forward in preparing for continued growth.
Moving from DME to CRT
In a March 25 press release, Rehab Medical noted that while it is now the third-largest CRT provider in the United States, the company began in 2005 as a mobility business, with CEO Patrick McGinley focusing on power wheelchairs, manual wheelchairs, hospital beds and orthotic braces.
But in 2010, Rehab Medical Vice President of Operations Jarrad Rankin became the first Rehab Medical team member to pass the Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) exam. Two years later, the company shifted “from standard mobility equipment to CRT” and changed its name to Rehab Medical, with Kevin Gearheart becoming Chief Operating Officer.
Gearheart became Rehab Medical’s president in 2016, and in 2023, the company hired its 100th ATP. Today, Rehab Medical has approximately 720 employees and 38 locations in the country, including its corporate office.
The Rehab Medical team serves more than 22,000 consumers each year in 18 states.
Creative thinking to combat a pandemic
The company has dealt with challenges along the way, of course. Rehab Medical was named to the Top 25 Fastest Growing Companies list by the Indianapolis Business Journal in 2018 for its 65% growth from 2015 to 2017. But the pandemic that began in 2020 forced even well-established companies to develop new strategies.
“Despite economic challenges brought on by COVID-19, Rehab Medical continued prioritizing patient care by advancing its innovative technology, expanding its sales and service team, and establishing Rehab Express, a parts warehouse to offset delays caused by resource shortages,” the announcement said. “As a result, the company was named to the Inc. 5000 list, hired its 50th ATP, and solidified its position as the third-largest CRT provider in the nation.”
Throughout Rehab Medical’s history, the provider has focused on caring for and developing its team so team members can then serve consumers living with significant, often progressive mobility-related disabilities.
As an example, in 2018, Gearheart helped to establish the peer-to-peer Core Values Program “to celebrate those who embody the company’s mission and empower leaders in reinforcing its culture,” Rehab Medical said.
In 2023, Rehab Medical launched its ATP Prep Program to develop the next generation of ATPs “and expanding access to life-changing mobility solutions.”
“As we take this time to reflect on what the last 20 years have meant to us, we want to preface that through change, rapid growth, and numerous challenges, we remained steadfast in our mission to improve lives through innovative mobility solutions and exceptional service,” McGinley said. “For the last several years we’ve prioritized company growth while never wavering in our commitment to customer service excellence or employee satisfaction.
“We’ve built a solid foundation that puts the needs of our employees first because we’ve found that when we take care of our employees, they become better positioned to take care of our patients at the high level we expect,” McGinley added. “By implementing programs that focus on the employee and their family’s health and financial wellness, philanthropic aspirations, career development pathways, and continuing education interests, we’re able to provide them with an opportunity to fulfill these goals, whether they are personal or professional related. As a result of prioritizing our employees’ needs, we’ve been able to set a new industry standard when it comes to delivering custom mobility equipment.”
Gearheart is also looking back and forward at this milepost in Rehab Medical’s journey.
“As we celebrate 20 years of improving lives, it’s incredible to reflect on how far we’ve come,” Gearheart said. “I am proud to see how our commitment to our mission, having a growth mindset, and being very intentional about what we are trying to accomplish has impacted so many lives in a positive way.”
