Medical clinic office equipment: A checklist for your practice

If you’ve ever spent valuable time hunting for a glucometer that works or a box of thermometer probe covers, you know how frustrating it is to not have the right equipment at the right time. Use the best practices and checklists for office and clinical supplies and durable medical equipment below to ensure that your new medical practice has everything your team needs. 

You’ve located the ideal place for your new medical practice, signed the lease, and obtained the necessary licenses and permits. Now, it’s time to start thinking about filling your medical office with the clinical supplies, durable medical equipment, and administrative and IT tools for success. 

Dependable healthcare equipment and tools enable thorough assessments, accurate testing and diagnoses, and effective procedures. As the practice owner, you are ultimately responsible for whether or not your practice is well-stocked and can meet patients’ needs. It’s your job to empower your practice manager or other designated staff to procure and manage medical supplies. Establish that they are responsible for supply needs assessment, vendor selection, order placement, inventory management, cost optimization, quality control, and effective communication. Then work with them throughout the following process.

To get started, work with your practice manager to assess your practice’s supply requirements. Evaluate your expected patient volume and the treatments, ancillary services, and procedures your practice will offer. Be prepared for your needs to change as your practice grows. Your practice manager should conduct regular assessments to ensure that your practice has the clinical equipment and durable medical supplies necessary to meet patient demand.

When equipping and stocking your new medical practice for the first time, research and select reliable suppliers who offer high-quality products at competitive prices. Vendors will vie for your practice's business and there are many variables to consider.

Seek to establish and nurture positive relationships with vendors by submitting orders and paying invoices in a timely manner. Enquire if the vendor offers loyalty or discount programs for wholesale orders or swift invoice payments. Building strong supplier relationships will allow your practice manager to negotiate favorable terms; resolve issues efficiently; and stay informed of new products, procurement issues, or pricing changes.

While your practice manager is responsible for placing accurate and timely orders for medical supplies, they cannot do so if they don’t know what you have and what you need. Build a centralized system to monitor inventory levels, track usage patterns, and set appropriate reorder points to prevent stockouts or excessive stock. Create a system for supply requests and encourage every member of your staff to use it consistently to alert the practice manager about supplies that are running low or expiring. 

Establish and manage the supply budget. As your practice grows, encourage your practice manager to seek cost-saving opportunities, negotiate pricing with vendors, and explore bulk or group buying options. By optimizing costs and adhering to the budget, you support both your team’s ability to offer care and your practice’s financial health.

The medical supplies your practice uses should meet quality standards and comply with any regulatory requirements. Your practice manager should collaborate with you and the rest of your clinical team to identify any specific supply needs related to patient safety, infection control, or specialized procedures. Once your practice is up and running, they should plan to conduct periodic quality audits, verify certifications, and review supplier performance to ensure that your practice only receives reliable and safe medical supplies.

When setting up your medical practice, one of the most critical tools to purchase is an electronic health record (EHR) solution. Your EHR is the foundation for your practice, so choosing the right one should be your top priority when acquiring clinical equipment. After you’ve selected an EHR and the IT equipment you need, you can focus on clinic supplies, durable medical equipment, and administrative tools. 

Healthcare providers have several different EHR options and the best one will depend on your practice's specific needs. An EHR is a big investment, so it's wise to request a demo from different vendors. Invite your practice manager or other trusted team member to explore options with you to find the product that aligns best with your practice’s requirements.

While the most popular EHRs offer similar features such as provider-to-provider communication, templates, and prescription capabilities, it’s important to find a solution that enables seamless communication and data sharing among different healthcare providers, laboratories, and pharmacies. This functionality is critical for care coordination and collaboration. 

Ensure that the EHR you select complies with healthcare industry standards and regulations, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Choosing a compliant EHR helps protect patient privacy and ensures the secure storage and transmission of sensitive information.

The value of a modern EHR extends far beyond patient care, however. A robust EHR supports efficient practice management with features for appointment scheduling, billing and coding, inventory management, and data and insights. These capabilities streamline practice management, optimize revenue cycle management, and provide valuable insights into the financial health and performance of your practice. 

When evaluating different EHRs, also consider the skills and capabilities of your staff. If you have experienced administrators familiar with a particular platform, that platform might be the ideal option, even if it's not the most user-friendly. On the other hand, if you're hiring less experienced or part-time staff, you may prioritize an easy-to-use platform with comprehensive training resources, even if it lacks some advanced features. Budget constraints may also influence your decision. 

Whichever EHR you select, allocate time for training. Since your EHR is the cornerstone of your practice's record-keeping, include all staff in the training, even those who have used the platform elsewhere, since there will be customization for your practice. Don't allow physicians or other providers to opt out of the training because of time constraints; the training should be mandatory and include everyone.

Since different types of practices require different equipment, we’ve created checklists for general office and clinic supplies, as well as suggestions for medical supplies and durable medical equipment used by common specialist practices. These lists are not meant to be exhaustive, nor will your practice require every item on each list. Instead, you should use these lists as a starting point when determining what you need to start providing safe, efficient, and effective care to patients. 

It's crucial to regularly inspect and maintain all your medical equipment, particularly emergency equipment, to make sure that it has not expired. Your practice must choose between different methods of inspection and maintenance. Some vendors can arrange for third-party maintenance contracts or maintenance can be conducted by the manufacturer. Determine what makes sense for you practice and create an in-office protocol for who should be alerted when equipment needs maintenance.

Make sure that your entire staff has taken a basic life support (BLS) course and know their role during an emergency. Depending on your speciality and patient population, consider requiring your clinical staff to take advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) training to enhance your practice's emergency response capabilities.

Designate a member of your clinical staff to liaise with local emergency rescue personnel and stay updated on all current and emerging guidelines and recommendations related to disaster and emergency preparedness. Invite EMS staff to the office to meet everyone and work with them to conduct regular fire and emergency drills with your team to make sure everyone knows how to use emergency equipment correctly and understands their role in an emergency situation. 

Supply chain instability is not a new problem in healthcare, but the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic underscored just how profound the impact of procurement disruptions can be to the health and safety of patients and providers alike. Since supply fragility and supply shortages continue to make headlines, it’s important to build resilience into your medical equipment procurement processes. 

Here are 5 suggestions to optimize supply chain management for your medical practice.

Cultivate strong relationships with reliable suppliers and manufacturers who provide high-quality products and services, selecting local vendors whenever possible. These relationships are crucial and go both ways, particularly with manufacturers who want to sell more of their products and accessories. 

Regularly communicate with your vendors to ensure timely delivery, resolve issues promptly, and negotiate favorable terms. Empowering your administrative staff to collaborate closely with trusted suppliers helps ensure that your practice receives a steady supply of the medical equipment you need and reduces the risk of disruptions to patient care. 

Explore user-friendly and cost-effective inventory management systems designed for small-scale operations and work with your practice manager to select a cloud-based platform that can track stock levels, manage expiration dates, and generate inventory reports efficiently. Designate a clinical staff member who can work with your practice manager to ensure that inventory management systems are straightforward and prioritize accuracy in tracking stock to prevent wastage, monitor for theft, and minimize excess inventory.

Forge relationships with healthcare providers in your building or neighborhood to share information and resources. Collaborating with other practices, clinics, and even pharmacies can help optimize supply chain management through joint purchasing, group negotiations with suppliers, and sharing best practices. By pooling resources, small practices can benefit from increased purchasing power and cost savings.

Use digital tools that can improve supply chain management without breaking the bank. Explore free or low-cost inventory tracking apps, barcode scanning solutions, and online ordering platforms. These tools can simplify processes, reduce manual errors, and provide better visibility into your supply chain. Work with your administrative staff to select technology solutions that are user-friendly and offer essential features tailored to the unique needs of your practice.

Regularly review your supply chain performance by monitoring key metrics specific to your practice's size and operations. Keep track of order accuracy, delivery times, and inventory turnover. Conduct periodic evaluations of your suppliers' performance, considering reliability, responsiveness, and pricing competitiveness. Seek feedback from staff members and explore improvement opportunities that align with your resources and capacity.

It’s impossible to guarantee that your practice will never face supply disruptions, but implementing these steps can go a long way toward helping your medical practice effectively manage its supply chain, enhancing efficiency, reducing waste, and optimizing resource allocation.