WHEN FINDING SURGICAL SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT IS CRITICAL

Operating Room Core Incorporates Mobile Systems for Storing Surgical Supplies and Equipment

SITUATION:

The Surgical Services Department at Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, Maryland recently upgraded their storage in the operating room core and replaced more than 70 wire carts with seven small Spacesaver mobile systems. Paul McGuire, Manager, Surgical Services, said that the old wire carts were inefficient on space utilization. There was wasted space between and in front of carts, as well as unutilized space between shelves. It was difficult to store small instruments and didn't provide neat, organized appearance to the storage area.

Storage Solution

Paul Leatherman of STORAGELogic, Inc. designed seven mobile systems that were incorporated into the OR core for storing sterile supplies, cases and instruments for surgery. Two systems are located in the main core for supply items, two systems are located between the orthopedics surgery rooms for storing replacement parts and supplies, two service the neurosurgery suite and one unit is in the heart core.

Seven mobile systems replaced more than 70 carts and saved critical space in the OR core. McGuire says that the space savings has allowed Peninsula Regional to store items in the core rather than in a central sterile supply area. With millions of dollars of OR supplies and instrumentation, over a million dollars worth of supplies in orthopedics alone, it was also important to medical center staff to store supply items more safely and in a more organized fashion.

All of the mobile systems incorporated drawers for small items such as soft goods, syringes and catheters. Shelf openings were designed to maximize space, while still accmmodate large items such as large surgery cases, which are brought up each day for scheduled surgeries. The mobile systems were designed with clear end panels so that the items are easily visible and quickly located. Also, on the end of the large central core supply unit, open slanted shelving was incorporated to store sutures.