Seventh Street Medical steps up for Korean War vet

FEASTERVILLE, Pa. - Seventh Street Medical Supply recently donated a Golden Technologies power wheelchair to a Bill Richardson, a Korean War veteran who had been featured by a local news station.

After the segment aired, 87-year-old Richardson tripped over a coffee table in his apartment, where he laid for several days before help arrived. That's when Fox 29's Bruce Gordon emailed his longtime friend and president of Seventh Street Medical Supply, Andy Scolnick.

“It was right around the holidays,” said Scolnick. “I had this power chair here, so I responded right away.”

Founded in 1983, Seventh Street Medical offers bariatric, respiratory, orthopedic, and mobility equipment, as well as aids to daily living and diabetes supplies, amounting to $2 million in annual sales.

From replacing stolen equipment free of charge to donating tires, arranging elevator repairs and fundraising for childhood cancer, the family owned business has a long history of giving back to the community, a habit which was instilled in Scolnick and the company's 9 employees by his father, company founder, Irv Scolnick.

“That's the sad thing with competitive bidding,” said Scolnick. “The companies that were awarded contracts, they're not from the area, so they don't pay taxes here, they don't support the community at all.”

What's worse, is that some of those companies are subcontracting, says Scolnick, who submitted bids in almost all product categories except enteral during the Round 2 and Round 2 re-compete, but did not win any contracts.

“When I'm doing a CPAP set up, it's my patient, my responsibility to make sure that this person has the most up-to-date, top of the line product and that they become compliant and use the equipment,” he said. “With a subcontractor, they're grabbing $75 to do a set-up and they're in and they're out.”

That warmth and humanity is what makes Seventh Street Medical stand out from its competitors, says Scolnick.

“We pride ourselves on providing one-on-one service to our patients,” he said. “We know our patients by their name, not by their HCPCS code or ID number.”