Supplies That Medical Facilities Should Never Run Out Of

Medical facilities have a constant flux of patients. Keeping equipment in stock helps doctors and nurses continue treating patients even during shortages or supply chain interruptions.

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1. Introduction
2. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
3. Wound Care Supplies
4. Catheters and Drainage Supplies
5. IV Therapy and Infusion Supplies
6. Respiratory Care Supplies
7. Diagnostic and Monitoring Tools
8. Exam Room Essentials
9. Sterilization and Cleaning Supplies
10. Mobility Aids and Patient Positioning Tools
11. Emergency Preparedness Supplies
12. Conclusion

Proper medical inventory management is vital to emergency preparedness. Equipment shortages can disrupt patients’ treatments, delaying or even regressing their progress. Keeping an array of essential products in stock promotes infection control and safety for both medical personnel and their patients.

Staff members constantly need supplies such as gloves and other personal protective equipment to efficiently treat potentially contagious patients without risking their own health.

Routinely ordering items in bulk minimizes the frustrating consequences of supply chain disruptions and saves money. By stocking up on the essentials, hospitals and clinics can avoid price hikes that happen during shortages.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) helps protect healthcare workers from pathogens as they care for sick patients. By protecting all areas of their bodies, medical staff are less likely to pass dangerous pathogens to others.

Each type of PPE covers a different section of the wearer’s body and serves a different purpose. In high-risk environments like operating rooms or when dealing with highly contagious diseases, wearers use this equipment together for optimal protection.

• Surgical / N95 Masks 
  • Protect staff and patients from airborne contagions
  • Maintain a sanitary environment during surgeries
• Gloves
  • Promote hygiene during procedures
  • Reduce infection risk
• Isolation Gowns
  • For doctors and nurses treating highly infectious diseases
  • Cover exposed body areas
• Face Shields

• • Guard the wearer’s face from fluid and debris
  • Can be worn over an N95 mask

Many individuals require daily wound cleaning and dressing. Running low on these supplies would be dangerous to the patients and could slow down care, leading to infections.

• Gauze
• Protects healing wounds
• For use after surgeries or during deep tissue healing
• Keeps the wound bed clean
• Bandages
• For minor to moderate wounds
• Absorb exudate
• Tape
• Secures secondary dressings
• Absorbs excess exudate
• Antiseptics
• Clean the patient’s skin before surgery
• Kill microbes
• Help prevent infections
• Wound Cleansers
• Removes dirt, debris, and bacteria
• Reduces the risk of infection

Catheters are often needed for patients who experience urinary retention, use wheelchairs, are confined to their beds, or are recovering from surgery.

Foley catheters work differently from intermittent catheters, so it matters which type a patient uses. Stocking up on all types of drainage supplies can prevent treatment delays and lower the risk of UTIs or other infections.

• Catheters
• Foley catheters stay inserted for continuous bladder drainage
• Intermittent catheters are inserted for each use and then promptly discarded
• Leg Bags
• AKA catheter bags, bladder bags, or urine bags
• Collect urine from foley catheters
• Extension Tubing

Intravenous therapy plays an integral role in hydration, fluid therapy, medication delivery, emergency interventions, and patient stabilization. Hospitals can’t afford to run out of IV starter kits and infusion therapy items.

• IV Catheters
• Provide continual veinous access
• Reduce the risk of needlestick injuries
• Saline Flushes
• Ensure the full dose of medication is administered
• Helps prevent tube blockage
• Washes away medicinal residue from the tube
• Extension Sets
• Provide multiple ports for different medications
• Eliminate the need for additional injection sites
• Pumps
• Administer medication in a continuous flow
• Deliver precise doses/li>
• Reduce the risk of contamination

Respiratory therapy equipment is necessary for emergency and chronic respiratory support. Emergency oxygen setups stabilize patients during triage. Nebulization therapy kits are essential for patients managing chronic pulmonary conditions.

• Oxygen Masks
• Non-rebreather masks for smoke inhalation or carbon monoxide poisoning
• Partial rebreather masks for minimal breathing assistance
• Simple oxygen masks for up to 55% supplemental oxygen
• Face masks/cannulas for asthma, cystic fibrosis, pneumonia, sleep apnea, and COPD
• Tubing
• Connects to an oxygen concentrator
• Streams supplemented oxygen into the wearer’s nose
• Nebulizers
• Deliver medication as the user inhales
• Attach to compressors
• Help treat asthma, bronchitis, and COPD
• Filters
• Remove large particles from the air entering the nebulizer
• Suction catheters
• For tracheal suctioning
• Remove bodily fluids from airways
• Attach to a suction machine for collection

Diagnostic devices help medical staff monitor and diagnose patients in both normal and triage situations. Vital signs equipment supports rapid assessment and detects abnormalities in the lungs or heart. Keeping these items in stock helps ensure patient safety while encouraging workflow efficiency.

• Thermometers
• Measure body temperature
• Detect fevers
• Blood Pressure Cuffs
• Help read blood pressure
• Connect to BP monitors
• Pulse Oximeters
• Measure blood oxygen levels and heart rate
• Help detect hyperoxia
• Stethoscopes
• Allow doctors and nurses to listen to breathing and heartbeats
• Improve diagnosis accuracy
• Help detect heart murmurs and other complications

These supplies are frequently used during routine exams. Their high turnover makes continuously restocking these items vital.

• Speculums
• For PAP smears or pelvic exams
• Hold open the vaginal walls
• Tongue Depressors
• For throat exams
• Hold down the tongue
• Swabs
• For cleaning or prepping skin before injections or blood draws
• For applying ointments
• For testing or cleaning gums
• Sanitizers
• Disinfect hands
• Help prevent infections
• Reduce the spread of disease

Disinfecting rooms and equipment is as important as treating a patient’s symptoms. Clean supplies and proper environmental hygiene protect both patients and staff from infections.

• Disinfectant Wipes
• Kill microbes on commonly used surfaces
• Promote environmental hygiene
• Autoclave Tools
• Sterilize equipment
• Help prevent cross-contamination

Assistive transport devices are designed for safe patient movement and injury prevention. Safe transfer techniques and durable equipment help prevent patient and staff injuries. They also help patients maintain their dignity during rehabilitation.

• Wheelchairs
• For transporting patients over longer distances
• More mobile patients can push themselves
• Transfer Boards
• For moving a patient from one seat to another
• Reduces fall risks
• Gait Belts
• For lifting patients from beds or furniture
• For individuals with legs strong enough to stand
• Support Cushions
• For seated individuals
• Promotes proper posture
• Reduces the risk of pressure sores

Hospitals need ample code blue equipment in case someone needs immediate life-saving care. Having the right supplies and functional equipment can be the difference between life and death.

• CPR Masks
• For patients who have stopped breathing
• Attach to resuscitation bags
• Defibrillators
• For patients in cardiac arrest
• Deliver a shock to the patient’s heart
• Trauma Kits
• For first responders
• Hold an array of essential medical supplies
• Emergency Meds
• For overdoses
• For anaphylactic shock
• For pain
• For low blood sugar

Stock planning is critical for medical centers. PPE, bandages, urinary supplies, IVs, respiratory care supplies, diagnostic tools, cleaning supplies, mobility aids, and first-aid kits ensure the facility is ready to treat patients even in cases of emergencies or supply chain delays

Regular inventory checks and reliable suppliers are keys to success. Browse Vitality Medical’s wide range of healthcare supplies today!