In the current world, medical offices are adapting and changing with the expectations of consumers. Medical offices are designed to help and heal people while keeping patients and staff safe. Medical offices, especially general care medical offices, need to be prepared to handle a large variety of cases and situations. This level of variety makes the essentials a very long list for supplies.
Medical offices are a place where people go for help when they need to heal, need medical advice, and more. Medical offices are pillars of communities and help to keep the community safe and healthy. In a medical setting, it’s crucial for the office to be fully stocked on the essentials. For regular offices, this could mean pens, notepads, and other items. For a medical office, supplies go beyond writing utensils. Check out this list of the most essential supplies for medical offices.
Personal protection equipment
It’s essential for doctors, nurses, front desk staff, and other staff members to have easy and quick access to personal protection equipment at all times. Medical offices are a place where sick and injured people come for help. This means the office is regularly filled with a variety of different germs, fluids, and unsanitary substances. Regular exposure to these dangerous substances can cause staff to fall ill or even spread disease to others. To prevent this tragedy from happening, staff is required to wear personal protection equipment which not only protects them from harm and disease, but also helps to prevent the spread to others. Check out this list of the most essential pieces of personal protection equipment for medical offices to have in abundance on hand at all times:
- Face masks
- Face shields
- Surgical gowns
- Medical gowns
- Scrubs
- Aprons
- Lab coats
- Patient gowns
- Slippers
- Hair nets and beard covers
- Surgical sleeve protectors
- Shoe covers
- Goggles
- Disposable medical gloves in multiple sizes
There are more forms of personal protection equipment you may need if your facility handles more intense or emergency cases. For centers that provide surgery, these items are even more necessary, and there are more items to add to the list.
Point of care testing equipment
Point of care testing equipment is essential for medical offices to invest in and keep stocked. It’s important for medical offices to be prepared for rapid testing needs if a patient comes in feeling symptoms of a specific infectious disease, such as influenza. This helps to quickly rule out diagnosis options and lead the medical team to a proper diagnosis and treatment plan for the patient at a much faster rate than lab tests would provide. Below is a list of the most commonly needed point of care testing equipment for general care medical offices:
- Thermometers
- Rapid strep throat tests
- Rapid influenza tests
- Drug tests
- Pregnancy tests
- Blood glucose level readers
- Blood pressure machine
There are many more types of point of care testing equipment you may need to invest in, depending on the type of medical cases your office typically handles. Offices that specialize might require much more specific machines, while general care offices may need a little bit of each kind available.
General medical equipment
Beyond point of care testing, there is a major need for general medical equipment to be stocked at all medical offices. These items are things that most patients will require and may be needed at a moment’s notice when an injured patient comes in. There is more to general medical equipment than those outside the field may think. It doesn’t stop with bandages and gauze, although these are also essentials to keep in the office. Check out a brief breakdown of the general medical equipment medical offices need to carry:
- Syringes and needles
- Catheters
- Medical tubing
- Defibrillators
- IV bags
- Stethoscopes
- Speculums
- Medical scissors
- Reflex hammers
- Ear plugs
- Sponges
- Swaps, applicators, specimen collectors, sponges, pads, tongue depressors, cotton balls, etc.
- Wipes
- Splints
- Canes, crutches, walkers, wheelchairs
- Gurney
- Mats
- Supports and braces
- Pillows, blankets, and other bedside necessities
- Medical tape
- Adhesive remover
- Medical pumps
Lab supplies
Most medical offices either work closely with an off-site laboratory or have one in their own office. Either way, the medical office needs to keep certain lab supplies in office. This could be either to perform lab tests or prepare samples to be sent safely over to the partnered lab. Check out these items below which are recommended that every medical office keeps available while operating:
- Specimen cups
- Tweezers
- Tissue bags
- Biohazard bags and containers
- Needles
- Test tubes
- Labels
- Scalpel
- Pipettes
Sterilization items
An essential for medical professionals everywhere, sterilization items are even more important in current times. With changes in the way patients seek care and an increased awareness of the ways disease spreads, patients will expect access to sterilization items for themselves, as well as expect their medical care team to utilize them. Sterilization helps to protect everybody in the office, as well as anyone who somebody may be exposed to after their visit or workday at the office. Check out the list below to learn the basic sterilization items every medical office needs to add to their essential supplies list:
- Hand sanitizer
- Hand soap
- Disinfecting body soap
- Disposable towels
- Iodine
- Rubbing alcohol
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Wipes
While there are many other essential medical supplies needed to run a successful, sterile, and safe medical office, this list is a great start. Medical offices that focus on certain types of patients should ensure they have the right equipment and supplies to cater to their customers. General care practices need to be ready for just about any type of case all the time. Running a medical office is a rewarding career path built on helping others and communities stay healthy, safe, and cared for. A trustworthy practice is an exciting find for patients everywhere, and part of being a trustworthy practice is being a prepared practice. Prepared practices are always stocked with the essentials they need to operate and care for their valued patients. To stay stocked up on essentials, consider buying wholesale medical supplies. This ensure you will never run out of the important essentials your staff and patients need. Browse our vast selection of essential supplies for medical offices online. Here at American Screening Corporation, we strive to provide effective and reliable products so your medical office can focus on what’s most important, your patients.
