Critical Home Care expands into North Carolina

October 4, 2004 SOUTHFIELD, Mich. - Critical Home Care, which started out with plans to become one of the largest HME providers in the New York metropolitan area, appears to be branching out. In September, the company acquired Trinity Healthcare, a North Carolina-based durable medical equipment company. That deal was Critical's second DME acquisition in as many months. In August, it  acquired Illinois-based American Oxygen & Medical Equipment. Critical Home Care also operates four HME stores in Patchogue, Babylon, Woodbury and East Setauket, N.Y. The American deal represented the company's first HME foray beyond New York. Trinity Healthcare employs 50+ people and provides oxygen and other respiratory services, as well as such durable medical equipment as wheelchairs and hospital beds. It has locations in Winston Salem and Huntersville, N. C., and Marietta and Demorest, Ga, John E. Elliott, II, chairman & CEO of Critical Home Care, said the Trinity acquisition is part of the company's planned growth strategy. "The (Trinity) purchase provides us with a growing presence in the durable medical equipment marketplace," said Elliot. "Expanding our market share through the purchase of firms that meet our quality and financial standards is a key element in the growth of our company, and a catalyst for increasing shareholder value." In addition to HME, Critical Home Care is a provider of medical and non-medical staffing and homecare services such as personal care aides, home care aides, homemakers, companions, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists and medical social workers.