Barton Medical Corporation

Bad business and bad decision

If you’ve ever been in an up-​to-​date hospital, this name should ring a bell. You’re probably staring up at it your entire stay.
Barton Medical Corporation is a global corporation founded in 1984 in Austin, so it is indeed «buy local». Barton makes the overhead track patient lifts used in many Austin hospitals. They provide an incredible margin of safety for transfers for patients who are unable to transfer on their own. They also provide safety for caregivers by preventing back injury. Hospitals recognize the value of keeping their employees on the job and not on rehab with Barton’s safety equipment.
I ran into Will from Barton during a recent stay for an immediate family member He was checking on the inspection dates of the lifts in each patient room. Faced with the possibility of returning the patient home with limited or no mobility, and recognizing the quality of the equipment, I thought to ask if Barton marketed to the home consumer segment. I was pleasantly surprised to find out they do.
More recently, with a return to home imminent, I visited their showroom office to inquire about all sorts of necessities, such as hospital beds, air mattresses, transfer chairs, patient lifts, etc. In a very limited space, they had all of these items displayed and available for demonstration. I was assisted by a most pleasant and knowledgeable gentleman by the name of Phillip. He knew so much about Barton’s equipment, that I just assumed he was a salesperson. It turned out he was their accountant!
I must say, all of Barton’s equipment is top-​notch. Their transfer chairs are the shining star with heavy duty construction and the ability to convert from a chair to a full lift stretcher with assist of simple hydraulics. Alongside a patient bed, this chair, along with Barton’s Positioning and Transfer system, makes for simple one-​person lateral transfers. Unlike some «durable» medical equipment I’ve seen, Barton’s is built to last – and then some.
Phillip referred me to Jamie, who called a couple of weeks later. Jamie and I discussed the circumstance in great detail and the likely equipment needed. Unfortunately, shortly thereafter, medical advice indicated that our best laid plans to return to home after a convalescence stay were not advised, so we were not able to complete a transaction.
I don’t know how common it is to wish you’d done business with a company under these circumstances, but I really left the situation with genuine regrets. I’m hoping never to need to avail myself of their wares, but I would do so in a heartbeat where Barton is concerned. They have the best people and products, bar none.