Rosemary's daughter: Diamond Medical gets bigger into retail

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Diamond Medical Supply is celebrating its 25^th anniversary by moving into a new retail location—two doors down.

“Like most companies we are going more toward retail,” said Owner Cindy Bishop. “When I started, people were looking for Medicare and Medicaid to pay for absolutely everything. That mindset has changed.”

Diamond Medical Supply was launched in 1993 by Bishop's mother, Rosemary Francisco. While the store still offers hospital beds, oxygen and wheelchairs, and holds a contract for enteral nutrition, the shift toward retail has the provider offering more lift chairs, rollators, soft goods and alarms, alongside a large incontinence business.

Her eight employees are also willing to go the extra mile for special requests, says Bishop.

“If somebody calls and wants an x-ray table or some other item, instead of saying, we don't do that, we say, let's see how we can do that,” she said. “We're on a first name basis with so many of our callers and word-of-mouth is still your best referral.”

Many of her customers these days are caregivers buying for family members and willing to pay cash for items and service, says Bishop.

“If mom needs it, they want to get her what she needs,” she said. “We did a bed setup recently and delivered it three hours a way. Her daughter said, “I don't know who (local Medicare providers are) there, I don't want to deal with it. Can I just buy it?'”

After 10 years as a caregiver for her husband and now as caregiver to her mother, who resides in assisted living, Bishop says, while she always considered herself to be a compassionate person, the experience has made her more empathetic.

She also likes helping to make people's lives easier, even if it's something as small as a cup holder for a resident of the assisted living facility.

“At least once or twice a week, I'll have someone ask me for something,” she said. “Later on, when they need something bigger, they'll say, call Rosemary's daughter. She'll take care of us.”