Most common medical supplies used in hospitals
There are several types of tools and equipment used in a hospital. Besides the cost of staffing and infrastructure, sources of medical supplies Australia are one of the biggest expenditures in the Healthcare department done by the government.
Owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Australian government has increased its expenditure on healthcare by 15% to a record $115.5 billion for the year 2020-21.
The pandemic has made administration and supply chain challenging to manage. Errors in the procurement of supplies can cause health organisations a colossal loss. So, the supply chain has to be managed appropriately, and the supplies are precisely procured not to incur any losses.
Approximately 80% of Australia’s medical and diagnostic supplies are imported from China, the US, and the European Union. So, the hospitals have the options and the resources to source any medical equipment from various sources.
However, hospitals procure a wide variety of medical supplies. Most of the expenditure is done daily to procure standard operational medical supplies that are very common and needed in bulk. But most of them are fixed machinery and equipment such as ECG, MRI, high-quality hospital beds, defibrillators, and much more. These equipment are purchased after long intervals and only if the need increases or the equipment becomes obsolete.
Most standard medical supplies used in the Hospitals
- IV Start Kits
Most of the patients admitted to the hospital need some type of fluids. Even most of the medicines in the hospitals are given as drips to the patient through IV. This equipment can be found in most of the hospitals in the country.
Either large hospitals or distributors assemble these IV kits. IV kits commonly include prep material (scrub and alcohol pad), PVP ampule, and securement device. The IV kits are used to administer medicines, glucose, and anesthesia to patients.
Some of the IV starter kits come with change trays for changing or removing the IV. The pre-packed tray consists of everything that a nurse needs to change an old IV pack.
- General Purpose Kits
These kits consist of the medical supplies that healthcare professionals regularly use. General-purpose kits are used for multiple procedures and in various departments. Some procedures the kit is used for include nose bleed, wounds, incisions, and much more.
The hospitals can modify the items in the kit as per their usage and different needs. But most commonly, these kits include a pair of gloves, tray, cotton swabs, gauze, and tools like scissors, forceps, and scalpels.
From the dentist to the emergency room, general-purpose kits are used throughout the hospital in multiple departments. Ensure sterilization with ease using our high-quality self-seal sterilization pouch.
- Laceration Supplies
To treat deep cuts, health care professionals use laceration procedures. These kits are regularly used during surgeries or in the emergency room to stitch up wounds. In this procedure, the wound is cleaned with an antiseptic and closed using stitches or staples. It is performed to prevent blood loss, for a faster healing process, and reduce the risk of infection. Laceration supplies include a needle, needle holder, cups, gauze compartment tray, stitches, staplers, and forceps.
- Diagnostic Equipment
Diagnostic tools and equipment are used not to treat the patient but to perform initial screening and diagnostics. Based on these diagnoses, the treatment is given. Some common examples of diagnostic tools are –
- Blood pressure Kits – Are used to screen hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and much more.
- Stethoscopes – To determine the strength and rhythm of the heartbeat and to listen to the airflow in the lungs to screen the patients’ overall health.
- Electorgraphs – To screen the heart for cardiovascular diseases.
- Thermometers – To determine the body temperature
- Ophthalmoscopes – These are used to screen the patient’s eye.
- Fluoro-navigation system – inside body vision, advanced real-time, imaging technology.
These are common diagnostic tools, while the hospital also uses other devices such as an X-ray machine and an MRI machine, but they are generally procured after long intervals.
- Diabetic Equipment
Some of the common medical supplies in Australia used for diabetic patients are: the people at home even use these medical supplies as they are made to be self-administered procedures. However, these supplies are used in hospitals to measure blood sugar levels and glucose as screening is required before any procedure.
- Glucose meters come with glucose strips, lancets, and lancet drums to check the blood sugar levels accurately.
- Ointments and Hydrogel are used to aid wounds caused by checking glucose regularly.
- Insulin Syringes
- Disposable Containers
Hospitals purchase these everyday items regularly from various sources. However, hospitals also need to procure tons of PPE kits, masks, sanitizers, and other sanitation products with the pandemic. This has increased their day-to-day expenditure on daily items.
