About Us
Home » About UsMission Statement
Our Mission is to provide high quality health care products and services in a cost efficient manner that insures value and advances the care of patients.
History
In its beginnings, Lambert’s Health Care was a community retail pharmacy when it opened its doors in 1956 in Knoxville, Tennessee. During the 1970s, Lambert’s became the primary provider of durable medical equipment and oxygen for Knox County and surrounding counties. By 1976, a separate division was established, and the company expanded to specialize in Home Medical Equipment rentals and sales. Always a company with high standards, Lambert’s has been accredited since 1993 and has worked with state and federal agencies to implement national accreditation guidelines to protect families and ensure high standards for home medical equipment companies. In the mid 1990s, Lambert’s began selling medical uniform apparel to medical professionals; Lambert’s has grown to now have Tennessee’s largest selection of inventory of uniforms, accessories, and shoes. What once started as a pharmacy has now expanded to encompass a comprehensive selection of homecare products and services to adequately address all of the needs of homecare patients.
As a leader in the development of homecare, Lambert’s had many noteworthy accomplishments to its credit. In the late 1970s, Lambert’s helped form Tennessee Home Medical Providers Association (today known as the Tennessee Association for Home Care). For decades, patient advocacy groups, hospital organizations, and Industry leaders have worked side-by-side with Lambert’s personnel to protect patients and their families from legislation that would endanger their homecare benefits. Today, Lambert’s president/owner currently sits on the boards for the American Association for Home Care and the Tennessee Association for Home Care.
For over 50 years, Lambert’s has a solid history of providing innovative health care products and services throughout its service region and has always been a leader in embracing and influencing positive changes in the Health Care Industry. In the coming years, Lambert’s will continue to grow through expanding its geographic scope of business, participating in new managed care insurance programs, increasing its depth of products and services offered, and continuing to build new and better alliances with other related health care entities. Lambert’s commitment to helping patients live in their homes, be active in their community, and with their loved ones is continually demonstrated through its years of passionately helping East Tennesseans manage their health care needs through homecare.
Qualifications
The management of Lambert’s Health Care promotes high quality standards for the company and its industry. The Joint Commission Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) first accredited Lambert’s in 1993. In 2004, Lambert’s received accreditation from the prestigious Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP) of New York. CHAP surveyor, Lee Murphy, stated, “If CHAP had a system in place that rated companies according to their business operation and their survey score, Lambert’s Health Care would be classified in the top 5% of all Home Medical Equipment operations in the nation”. He further stated, “My opinion is that if you want to know how to do things right—contact Lambert’s Health Care in Knoxville, Tennessee”.
Lambert’ is licensed by the state of Tennessee, Department of Health Licensure and Regulation, and by the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy.
Business Awards & Accomplishments
| 1979: | Lambert’s implemented Knoxville’s first comprehensive home oxygen therapy program, including in-home patient compliance supervision by certified respiratory therapists. |
| 1979-Current: | Senior officials at Lambert’s have served terms as President, Ranking Board Members, and Chairman of key committees of the Tennessee Home Medical Providers Association (THMPA), the Tennessee Association for Home Care (TAHC), and the American Association for Homecare (AAH). |
| 1980: | Tennessee’s first home infusion therapy program was implemented by Lambert’s. Later this year, Lambert’s founded the Knoxville-based Nutritional Support Services (NSS) and afterward sold this division to managing pharmacists. |
| 1985: | A national sales and service program providing enteral nutritional feeding supplies, nutrients, and feeding pumps to nursing homes and their patients from North Dakota to Florida was established by Lambert’s. This program, including a sales force of over 14 outside sales representatives and two national distributions centers, was acquired by Primedica in the late 1980s. |
| 1991: | Lambert’s was selected as the exclusive distributor in Middle and East Tennessee for MEDIQ/PRN, the largest medical equipment rental company to hospitals and nursing homes in the United States. Lambert’s maintained this exclusive dealership for over a decade. MEDIQ/PRN was acquired by Hill-Rom in 2004. |
| 2000: | Lambert’s became the medical equipment logistics management company for the equipment loan closet of the East Tennessee Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society (MSS). |
| 2000: | Lambert’s became the exclusive East Tennessee and Western North Carolina regional distributor for INO Gasses, Inc. in affiliation with MEDIQ/PRN INC. This program consisted of Lambert’s distributing the new FDA-approved INO Life Support Specialty Gas and the INO volume ventilators for emergency treatment of premature babies in intensive care nurseries in select hospitals throughout the two states. |
| 2000 | The local Multiple Sclerosis Society parent, Mid-Atlantic Region, awarded Lambert’s the “Mid-Atlantic Region’s Most Distinguished Service Award”. |
| 2004 | Crest Uniforms appointed the Vice-President of Lambert’s its “Distributor Advisory” Position. |
| 2004: | Lambert’s was accepted as a member of MEDGroup buying group. |
| 2005-08: | Landau Uniforms awarded Lambert’s with the “Diamond Dealer Award”. |
| 2005: | Homecare Magazine and Medtrade (the nation’s biggest tradeshow for the home medical equipment industry) awarded Lambert’s owner, Randy Wolfe, the national “DME Home Caring Award” for 2005. |
| 2006: | Lambert’s opened Tennessee’s most upscale patient- and family-centered medical equipment and supply retail center located the prestigious Turkey Creek commercial development in West Knoxville. Located as an anchor tenant in a shopping area containing some of the South’s largest retail stores and entertainment facilities, Lambert’s brings advanced medical technology and senior lifestyle solutions to families in a convenient environment. |
| 2006: | The Tennessee Association for Home Care awarded the “Rick Oswalt Award” to Lambert’s owner, Randy Wolfe, for being “a patient advocate who tirelessly serves to better the Homecare Industry and encouraging others to become involved”. |
| 2007: | Pride Mobility awarded Lambert’s the Gold Level for its continued partnership with Pride. |
| 2007-2008: | Lambert’s president serves as president of the Tennessee Association for Home Care. |
| 2008: | Quantum by Pride Mobility granted Lambert’s distributorship due to the company’s fulfillment of all compliance standards. |
| 2009: | Lambert’s president, Randy Wolfe, sits on the board of directors for the American Association for Homecare and is chairman of the PR Committee. |
| 2009: | Currently, Lambert’s Director of Government Relations, Ashley W. Plauché, is on the board of directors for the Tennessee Association for Home Care (TAHC) and the HME/RT Council for the American Association for Homecare (AAH). |