Standardization and organization are key to managing surgical equipment in the office. "We have each room in all three offices set up the same way for materials and supplies," Dr. Ceilley said. He suggested limiting the number of different suture types in the office. "For the rare cases where you need a different suture, keep them in a separate bin," he said.
Arrange the surgical tray in a standard fashion. "We color-code instruments by room. This saves us time after autoclaving," Dr. Ceilley said. Consider a piece of sterile foam rubber for storing sharps before and after use, he added.
Keep a dressing tray in each room, he advised. "We use a lot of Micropore tape, which is just as effective as Steri-Strips, and a lot less expensive."
Trim and place dressings carefully, Dr. Ceilley said. "Send patients home with a couple of days' worth of dressing material and information on where to buy more if needed."