we've remained stable or
decreased costs for our vendors,"
she says.
The way supplies are purchased
is also important. Supplies are
ordered in small batches — a
week at a time — to avoid hoard-
ing unnecessary inventory, says
Ms. Natal. Staff are also the ones
in charge of using the center's bar-
coding system to determine the
supplies needed for the week.
This process keeps staff aware
of the costs and supplies needed
to run the center, says Ms. Natal.
"Our staff does most of the ordering, and they now understand the
importance of keeping just what we need to get through the week on
the shelf, and not hoarding supplies that might otherwise expire," she
says.
This team effort to wrangle in costs lets the center make a commit-
ment to care for the community, says Ms. Natal. "We understand that
not everyone can afford health care, but we don't want to limit access
to care," she adds. "One of the reasons we're able to do this is
because we really watch our costs." — Kendal Gapinski
5 5
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 5 | O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y . N E T
z STOCKING UP Rockford only orders
a week's worth of supplies at a time.
Erica
Natal,
BSN,
MHA,
MBA
