LIFECARE

Alan D. Fiala (71044.3671(AT)CompuServe.COM)
13 Jan 97 22:10:13 EST

Hi,
I look at my email very infrequently, so this message refers to something
that appeared at least two weeks ago.
Someone asked whether LIFECARE operated outside the U.S.
LIFECARE (now owned by Respironics) is about as international a company as
I've ever seen, and its services truly amazed me. I use a PV102 for sleeping.
About 1990 when I went to England, the Denver office rented me a 220v vent
to take along.

When I traveled in Europe in 1994, they no longer rented from here. I had to
rent a vent overseas set up for 220v current. I made arrangements through the
German office to get a vent in Holland. The vent was in my hotel room in The
Hague when I arrived, and the local rep met me in person at the airport in
Amsterdam to take it back and receive payment when I left. In between, I took
it with me to Belgium and Austria.

In 1995 I had to go to India, and the Lifecare representative there was just
as helpful as a human being can possibly be. He met me at the airport in the
middle of the night to bring me the vent, took my overseas phone calls at his
home, and made numerous other arrangements. He called me at the hotel in
another city where I was staying to be sure I arrived OK and the equipment
was working. When I left, his assistant met me at the domestic airport in New
Delhi, took the vent back, and drove me to the international airport. I think
the rate in both India and Europe was about $50/day. [In the U.S., if you are
on business travel, the cost is an itemized deduction not subject to the 2%
floor.]

Lifecare has offices and services anywhere in the world you want to go, I
think - although I'm not sure about Russia and the FSU republics, or China.
But if you know the electric setup and want to take the risk, I'm sure they'd
rent you a vent to take in.

The international operation is one reason Respironics bought them, I
understand.

Alan Fiala
Washington DC / Northern Virginia