Walter Reed Army Medical Center Transfers $1.2M Excess Medical Equipment to IHS

In March 2012, the Indian Health Service Project TransAm acquired over 400 “like-new” medical equipment items from the now-closed Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Since July 2009, Project TransAm has been monitoring the hospital’s closure and involved in intensive communications with Army property management program personnel to secure these highly desirable items.

The Project TransAm team was led by LCDR Allen Bollinger (Nashville Area, Office of Environmental Health and Engineering), who expertly arranged and negotiated the quick ownership transfer and transportation of the medical equipment “cache.” When the equipment arrives at the Tennessee-based warehouse, property specialists and biomedical engineers will inventory and provide condition assessments. After the assessments are completed, programs can select from the advertised listing (see below). The equipment is valued at over $1.2M (in acquisition value), and over half of the equipment was purchased within the past year.

Remarkably, the IHS received the third largest amount of equipment (next to Tripler and Fort Lewis) due to Project TransAm officials’ quick actions, giving IHS the distinction of being the only non-DoD entity to receive medical equipment transfers.

Medical Equipment acquired through Project TransAm is available for tribally-contracted and IHS health programs to select from Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov . Specific inquiries should be directed to LCDR Bollinger or Mr. Geoff Elliott.

Established in 1995, Project TransAm has screened and transferred millions of dollars in medical equipment deemed excess by DoD to meet health system needs at tribally-contracted and IHS health programs. This reutilization of government-owned equipment remains a vital program in supplying the medical equipment needs of clinics and hospitals serving  American Indian and Alaska Native communities.