Save your program money: Shop at department stores
Center saves thousands on equipment
Many of us thinking about shopping at discount department stores or office supply stores when we want to save money on household items, but one surgery center saved thousands by hitting these same stories to purchase medical equipment.
The Lake Mary (FL) Surgery Center was recognized by the Federated Ambulatory Surgery Association at its most recent conference for a poster that illustrated the cost savings.
When the Lake Mary center opened in 2004, it was small (three ORs, with only two being used), had a large number of specialties, and had a limited budget. And, as it is with all freestanding surgery centers, Lake Mary faced frozen Medicare rates.
"Everything continues to rise except reimbursement," says Deb Ulmer, MSN, RN, nurse administrator.
"The hardest thing as a nurse administrator and for my staff is that we have to provide a service, accommodate the physicians, and provide high-quality care with a limited budget," she notes.
To find ways to save, Ulmer relied on her experience, as well as her staff’s, and common sense. "My grandma used to say, There’s more than one way to skin a cat,’" she says.
Ulmer says the price markup is phenomenal whenever equipment or supplies are labeled as "medical." And much of the equipment, such as a crash cart, are required by law. "But it doesn’t say in the regulation that it has to be bought through a medical magazine," she points out.
Build it yourself
Lake Mary needed an A-frame accessory cart, but the cost was going to be $2,623.50. One of Ulmer’s staff said, "I can build this." Ulmer purchased the supplies from Home Depot, and the staff member built it from sight. Total cost, including his supplies and his time, was $61, she says.
Instead of paying $450.50 for a medical suture cart, Ulmer found a supply cart at Corporate Express, an office supply center, for $120.
The office supply cart comes in various sizes and has four or five shelves and a back, she says. "It’s the same cart," Ulmer says.
Instead of paying $743 for an anesthesia chair, Ulmer spent $121 for a chair at an office supply store. Like the anesthesia chair, the less-expensive chair was taller, with a wide back and bottom and no arms.
Before purchasing, be certain that an office supply chair will meet your state regulations, Ulmer advises. In Florida, the chair couldn’t be made of a flammable material, such as fabric, and it had to be made of material that could be wiped clean.
For task chairs used outside the patient care area, Ulmer spent $49.50 each at Office Depot instead of $288.68 each for the medical version. These chairs don’t have to meet the same state regulations because they’re used outside the patient care areas, she points out.
Rather than spend more than $900 for a crash cart alone, Ulmer obtained a metal Sears tool cart for $272, including the oxygen holder, dividers, and bins. The bins, purchased at Wal-Mart, were $1 for 10 instead of $30.10 for two cases. The center purchased tackle box inserts for $6 each at Target and used them as dividers on the crash cart. Otherwise, the price would have been of $30.58 for two cases. The staff person who handled oxygen gave Ulmer an oxygen holder, and she paid a handyman to weld it to the cart, she says.
In her 20 years of experience, Ulmer has used a crash cart only once, and that was to pace a patient. "So why spend the money on that stuff?" she asks. "We tried to take those items that were not having as much use and still provide services you need to take care of patients."
In other cost savings, Ulmer purchased a bedside stand at Target for $30, compared to $308.85 for the medical version. An orthopedics weights set was designed and made by a local welder for $31, compared to $595 for the medical version.
A wire rack for the storage area costs $79 at Sam’s Club; in comparison, the medical version ranges from $430 to $500. OR back tables were purchased at Sam’s club for $99; a medical version costs $495.
Many of these cost-saving ideas came out of brainstorming sessions with her staff, Ulmer says. "It’s much better to bring 10 heads to the table vs. one individual," she says. "If you think you know it all, you’re in trouble."
Lake Mary has saved thousands of dollars by thinking out of the box, Ulmer says. "ASCs need to think like this," she advises.
Purchase the generic brand, Ulmer says. "It works the same, fits the state requirements at half the price," she adds.
[Editor’s note: Do you have a cost-saving tip to share with your peers? Contact: Joy Daughtery Dickinson, Senior Managing Editor, Same-Day Surgery. Phone: (229) 551-9195. Fax: (229) 551-0539. E-mail: [email protected].]
Source/Resources
For more information, contact:
- Deb Ulmer, MSN, RN, Nurse Administrator, Lake Mary Surgery Center, 460 St. Charles Court, Lake Mary, FL 32746. Phone: (407) 585-0260. Fax: (407) 585-0264. E-mail: [email protected].
For information on discount supplies, contact:
- Corporate Express, One Environmental Way, Broomfield, CO 80021. Phone: (888) 238-6329 or (303) 664-2000. Web: www.cexp.com.
- Home Depot, Atlanta. Phone: (800) 553-3199. Web: www.homedepot.com.
- Office Depot, Delray Beach, FL. Phone: (800) 463-3768. Web: www.officedepot.com.
- Sam’s Club Member Service, 608 S.W. Eighth St., Bentonville, AR 72716. Phone: (888) 746-7726. Web: www.samsclub.com.
- Sears, Hoffman Estates, IL. Phone: (800) 349-4358. E-mail: [email protected]. Web: www.sears.com.
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