How can I save time when purchasing medical equipment?

Healthcare facilities are responsible for keeping track of various types of medical equipment. Hospital personnel must keep track of inventory, determine whether equipment needs to be repaired, and ensure that the cost of equipment stays within the operating budget.

It is a constant balancing act to ensure that equipment is both accessible and affordable, but it is necessary to ensure that the facility can continue to operate and that patients’ care of the highest quality.

This is no easy task, given the impact of emerging technologies and healthcare reform on costs and quality. However, if you’re having trouble managing your medical equipment and its associated costs, the following advice may be useful.

Build a warranty database

To begin, if you choose to buy these hospital supplies yourself, you should probably get the warranties that come with them. While this will incur a small fee, it is frequently well worth the cost, especially if maintenance is included. Then, to keep track of each piece of equipment and what is covered, you can create a warranty database. This can help you save money on repairs or replacements, giving you more leeway in your budget.

Prepare your inventory early

Don’t put off looking for new and efficient equipment until you really need it. Product deliveries can take up to a week depending on your facility’s geographic location. Scouting for the right equipment can be a time-consuming process if done well ahead of time, as some supplies may be out of stock for several weeks.

To make this process easier, make a list of the equipment you want to replace in your facility and categorize it. That way, you’ll know which equipment needs to be replaced right away and which needs to be replaced later. Then you’ll be able to get them all at once, saving you time and money.

Try to find bulk pricing

There are a few medical supply companies that offer bulk discounts on medical supplies. If the deal does not include discounted pricing, they may offer services such as free shipping or delivery or an extended warranty, among other things. These services will not only help you save money for other equipment, but they will also help you save time because you will be able to buy more equipment from the same supplier.

This eliminates the need to switch from one to another for each piece of equipment required. However, keep in mind that you may need to look at multiple suppliers online before finding what you’re looking for.

Medical supplies that have expired must be disposed of

When it comes to medicines and drugs, asset lifecycle management is critical. Mostly because providing expired items can harm not only patients but also an institution’s credibility.

Hospitals use automated depreciation processes to avoid such errors. Staff members can use these to track an asset’s entire useful life. This allows pharmacists to monitor and dispose of expired medications in a timely manner.

Consider shipping and receiving issues

Although you would hope that everything goes as planned, you should plan for shipping and receiving hiccups ahead of time. Work closely with your vendor to ensure that medical equipment deliveries are made on time so that your facility can properly implement it. Otherwise, the equipment may have to be stored somewhere else until you’re ready to use it.

Alternatively, equipment that arrives late may disrupt workflow and patient care. To avoid unnecessary interruptions, the setup of your medical equipment purchases should be performed during non-peak hours.

Involve your employees

While involving more people from different departments in your decisions may not appear to be a cost-cutting measure, you may be surprised by the insight they can provide. You can avoid making unnecessary purchases by bringing staff members into the fold.

Their input is also extremely useful when developing your initial budget and making future purchases. After all, staff members will need to be trained on the equipment so that it can be used effectively and safely; their knowledge could save you money.

Each facility has unique requirements, particularly in terms of budget. However, by implementing some of these suggestions, you may be able to reduce your costs while increasing your control over the entire process.