WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-How Dartmouth-Hitchcock helps hospitals around the world

Lebanon, New Hampshire - December 29, 2011

Dartmouth-Hitchcock employee Rick Adams enters a warehouse that's not on the medical center campus. There, he shows stored supplies and equipment the hospital no longer uses. Some are simply past their expiration date; others do not meet the Food and Drug Administration regulations.

"In other countries those standards may be different," Adams said. "So, if we have things that may have expired under our FDA guidelines, they may still be perfectly applicable and useable in other countries around the world."

The International Medical Exchange Collaborative, known as IMEC, picks up the donated goods on a regular basis; things like wheelchairs, beds and unused syringes; or in other cases, outdated technology.

"Our imaging is done digitally, so the classic snap and X-ray up in a view box isn't done here anymore. But those view boxes are very good and in working order. There are countries in the world that aren't as technologically advanced, so we gather up that equipment, store it here in the warehouse, and once a month or so, we will call IMEC and say we have a load for you," Adams explained.

IMEC has been working with hospital for the last 16 years. Third World countries like Haiti reap the benefits. It's a program designed to supply ailing parts of the globe with proper medical attention with some help from the world's most advanced hospitals.

"As technology advances, as we build new facilities, we have the opportunity to move the things we are no longer using to places where it can really be used," Adams said.

Over the past five years, Dartmouth-Hitchcock has donated over 60 truckloads of supplies and equipment; material that could otherwise end up in a landfill that is being put to good use around the world.

Hospital officials say medications are not donated as part of this effort because regulations won't allow it.