International Medical Equipment Collaborative (IMEC) is a volunteer based, non-profit organization established to directly improve the standard of healthcare in the poorest countries around the world where even very basic supplies and tools are unavailable. IMEC gathers donated equipment and supplies from U.S. hospitals and with the work of volunteers and sponsors, sends these essential supplies to those in desperate need.

Description:
During the past ten years, through the IMEC process, hundreds of hospitals have received equipment and supplies specific to their needs. This is accomplished through collaborations with numerous humanitarian organizations, an extensive network of equipment donors, the work of thousands of volunteers, and generous sponsors. Although receiving hospitals never pay any fees or expenses for the medical equipment and supplies they receive, they do participate fully in the process from project identification to installation.

History:
In 1994 a revolution was taking place in American healthcare-hospitals were closing, downsizing and eliminating entire services. Additionally, new technology makes perfectly usable equipment obsolete in the U.S. Consequently, hospitals faced a growing problem. What to do with their surplus medical equipment? IMEC was founded in 1995 to retrieve this medical surplus and put it back into service worldwide.

Contact people:

Jeff Lefman, Volunteer Coordinator, (phone), (email) Jennifer Keefe, Operations Director, (phone), (email)

Address:

1600 Osgood Street North Andover, MA 01845 (See a map)

Directions:

All work is done at our North Andover, Massachusetts location at International Medical Equipment Collaborative 1600 Osgood Street North Andover, MA 01845

Miscellaneous Information

Name of Executive Director (or equivalent) if not listed above:
	Thomas J. Keefe
Type of organization
	Nonprofit 501(c)3
Is your organization a Health and Human Service agency?
	No

Overall Experience   
Immensively gratifying and fun experience

I spent the summer at IMEC and I had a chance to help in every aspect of the organization. I learned how to fix microscopes, stretchers, x-ray view boxes, vacuum pumps etc. I had a chance to go in the truck and acquire medical equipment from the donors. I helped refurbish, repack and and load the sea containers. Through the summer I had a chance to help ship to Ecuador, Malela, Somaliland, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Ukraine, and Armenia. The staff and volunteers I worked with were very kind and helpful in learning about IMEC. IMEC is a place where one visit will impress you to such extent that you will never leave. Overall, even though I will never meet the people we helped overseas, every time the sea container was packed, I felt a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction for what I was doing. posted on July 9, 2008