From Startup to Standout: Rehab Medical’s 20-Year Climb to Custom Mobility Leader

Twenty years ago, Rehab Medical began as a small provider of standard mobility equipment. Today, we stand as a national leader in Complex Rehab Technology (CRT), having served over 200,000 mobility users. Over the last two decades, we’ve focused on building passionate teams that commit to one goal: improving lives through innovative mobility solutions.

Our transformation from a local mobility provider into a national CRT powerhouse didn’t happen overnight. It came from a desire to redefine the custom mobility equipment process, a willingness to challenge the status quo, and the drive to achieve ambitious goals.

Rebranding for Better Patient Experiences

Switching from Standard Mobility to Custom Mobility Equipment

When Rehab Medical was founded in 2005, CEO Patrick McGinley set out to achieve one goal: improve lives. That goal quickly turned into a lifelong mission, not only to help those in his community but to redefine an entire industry.

Beginning with standard mobility equipment, hospital beds, and orthotic braces, McGinley and Vice President of Operations Jarrad Rankin saw a growing need for CRT equipment, especially among our nation’s youth.

Driven by his passion for helping young people, Rankin explored the process of how patients obtained custom mobility equipment and uncovered a serious flaw. Patients would wait months, sometimes years, before they could get their equipment. For those in need of CRT, it wasn’t just frustrating; it was life-altering.

Realizing this, McGinley and Rankin set out to build a faster, more efficient, and more compassionate process. To lead the effort, Rankin became the company’s first Assistive Technology Professional (ATP), allowing him to evaluate patients, recommend the right equipment, and train them in its use.

This pivotal shift opened new doors for our company. We transitioned from offering standard mobility products to delivering customized, life-improving equipment, personalized care, and better patient outcomes.

“I was fortunate to watch how our company went through many growth stages,” said Rankin. “Starting out as a standard mobility company and evolving into a nationwide CRT provider, we’ve truly helped transform the industry.

I believe that’s because we weren’t just focused on supplying equipment; we wanted to completely redefine the process of how patients received care. We don’t want to simply supply wheelchairs anymore; we want to make connections and create lasting memories with those we serve.”

Facing Challenges and Overcoming Obstacles

How the Team Persevered After Navigating Through New Territory

The transition from standard mobility equipment to CRT equipment didn’t come without its challenges. After Rankin became the company’s first ATP, it wasn’t just about offering new equipment to fit unique needs; it was about building a completely new service model from the ground up.

One of the toughest parts was rebranding.

“I remember how challenging it was getting referral sources, providers, and clinicians to associate Rehab Medical with CRT,” recalled Regional Vice President of Sales for the Midwest Region Ryan Commings. “We had done such a good job as a company providing standard equipment that it was difficult for us to rebrand ourselves as a credible CRT provider.”

Through trial and error, the team discovered that high-level education and exceptional customer care became the secret sauce.

“We knew if we could educate patients and partners at every level while maintaining consistent communication, we would eventually become a credible provider,” Commings added. 

After overcoming the hurdle of getting patients and partners to associate Rehab Medical with CRT, came another challenge: capacity. Rankin was the only ATP in the company, and as he would travel across the country to evaluate patients, the increasing demand quickly became overwhelming.

“We lacked the amount of ATP support in every market we served,” said Regional Vice President of Sales for the Gulf Coast Region Paul Martin. “This created extended wait times for both our sales team and our patients.”

As the team navigated these challenges, relying on patience, focus, support, and teamwork is what allowed them to persevere.

“Our vision was always clear,” said Regional Vice President of Sales for the Western Region Kenneth Flaming. “We knew what we wanted to be, what we were capable of, and that it would take time for us to get there. Trusting ourselves and our process allowed us to stay the course and overcome each challenge that came our way.”

Creating a New Industry Standard

Building a Framework that Redefined the Industry’s Standards

When we entered the CRT space, our goal was ambitious: to reshape an entire industry by setting new benchmarks for patient care, service efficiency, and clinical excellence. We knew we had to do more than follow established norms—we had to innovate them.

We started by meticulously designing each step of the patient journey. From the moment a patient contacted us to 30 days after the delivery of their equipment, each phase of our process was built around speed, clarity, continuity of care, patient support, and individualization. As a result, these elements helped to establish the unique process we follow today.

• Collaborative Evaluations: We bring together a team that includes a mobility specialist, ATP, therapist, insurance, and clinical specialists to conduct face-to-face evaluations with patients and their provider teams. This cross-functional approach ensures documentation supports medical necessity and captures each patient’s unique needs.

• Authorization & Advocacy: Our insurance team handles paperwork with funding sources like Medicaid, Medicare, or private insurers. If the initial request is denied, we are proactive, partnering with prescribing physicians to collect documentation needed for appeal.

• Customization & Fitting: After approval, a mobility expert visits the patient at home to fully understand their daily routines, spatial environments, and lifestyle needs. This step ensures equipment is configured precisely for comfort and independence before delivery.

• Post‑Delivery Support: Our 30-Day Fit4U Program offers courtesy visits to fine-tune equipment, while the Express Service Center ensures repair orders are handled quickly—often within just five days—to minimize downtime.

“Since we’ve perfected our processes to be more efficient, the growth we’ve had over the last 20 years has been huge,” said Regional Vice President of Sales for the Great Lakes Region Jason Neu. “We’ve brought on more experienced ATPs, tightened up our operations, and just improved across the board.

We’re now seen as a serious player in the CRT space, and that’s been incredible to witness. The impact we’re making today is on a completely different level than it was in the beginning.”

Echoing this sentiment, Commings added, “Our growth has been incredibly rewarding. Not only have we been able to take care of so many patients with complex conditions, but we’ve also scaled an approach that’s revolutionized the industry, enabling us to reach more patients and partners year after year.”

Continuing Our 20-Year Journey

How We're Maximizing Growth Potential as a CRT Leader

Today, Rehab Medical is proud to be recognized as a national CRT leader, with more than 100 ATPs across the country. Providers who once hesitated to refer patients to us now do so with confidence. Our streamlined processes, vast clinical network, and patient-first approach have positioned us to be seen as not only a provider but as a trusted partner in patient care.

And while we’re proud of how far we’ve come, we know this is only the beginning. Our continued growth is driven by an unwavering commitment to improvement, from internal processes to patient experiences. That’s what keeps Rehab Medical at the forefront of the CRT space.