Here’s what a Doctor’s Bag should ALWAYS contain

A doctor’s bag is very important as well as the contents inside the bag, however the equipment may vary according to each individual doctor and what they specialise in.

Besides containing essential medical equipment, a doctor’s bag should also be sturdy, lockable but still portable enough to carry around. Always remember that a doctor’s bag should be stored in a cool, dry place and never in the boot of a car.

Here is a list of the necessary equipment that should always be included in a doctor’s bag…

- Stethoscope
- Pulse oximeter
- Aneroid sphygmomanometer
- A diagnostic set
- Tongue depressors (wrapped)
- Tourniquet
- Scissors
- Alcohol wipes
- Gloves
- Reflex hammer
- Specimen bottles
- A small torch
- Syringes and needles
- Thermometer
- Disposable scalpel
- Peak flow meter
- Glucometer
- Face mask
- Space (for asthma)

What else do you think should be stored in a doctor’s bag?

Supply Doctor can supply you with all you need to fill your doctor’s bag – all at prices that everyone can afford! Place your orders today from 021 110 0422 or email info@supplydoctor.co.za

Your Springtime Medical Supplies List

As the warm weather approaches, it's a good time to stock up on those medical supplies that are typically needed in a hurry. Don't wait until you suddenly need them. You won't feel like going to the store to buy them at that point. So get ahead and get prepared. Stock your medicine cabinet up today and be ready!

Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, Poison Sumac

For many people, warmer weather means more time outside.

Getting back to nature heals the body and the soul, but beware of those parts of nature that can give you an itchy rash.

Helpful Medical Supplies:

- Calamine lotion

- Cold compress

- Your doctor may recommend or prescribe antihistamines or prednisone

Scrapes and Cuts

More time outdoors for kids especially means more time running and playing on the playground. Good stuff, for sure, but the more they climb the more their chances for skinned knees do too.

Helpful Medical Supplies:

- Bandages and band aids of course

- Many people think hydrogen peroxide and/or alcohol are primary tools to clean a cut. Not so. In fact, it's simple water and mild soap. The hydrogen peroxide and alcohol can actually damage the skin and slow the progress of healing.

- Antibiotic ointment, covered by a band aid, will keep the wound moist and protected. This is the optimal environment for healing. 

- For more advanced wound care, check out first aid supplies or minor procedure kits. These will be administered by trained medical professionals.

Skin Protection from the Sun

The sun's harmful ultraviolet rays magnify in the hotter months. While many skin care experts recommend wearing sun screen with at least an SPF of 15 all year round, this becomes especially important in the Spring and Summer. SPF protection defends against not only sunburn in the short-term but also skin cancer in the long-term.

If you do get a sun burn, aloe and other natural remedies are a great natural and low-cost remedy for soothing the skin. 

Insect Bites

Bugs come out more in the warmer months too. Mosquitoes not only cause itchy bites that when scratched can become infected, but they also sometimes carry potentially fatal diseases. Stock up on insect repellent and cover up as much skin as you can bear to when you go outdoors, especially during and after dusk.

- Ticks are another bothersome bug that can be harmless, but sometimes may carry lyme disease. Find repellent that specifically has a claim to defend against ticks.

- Bee stings, as long as you are not allergic to them, will mainly just cause an itchy sensation after the initial pain from the sting. An oral antihistamine will help reduce the pain, itching, and swelling.

When to Seek Medical Attention

Over the counter medical supplies are not the answer to snake bites and some spider bites. I could tell you to avoid the black widow spider and the brown recluse spider for example, but if your bit by any type of spider you may not have had the chance to check to see what kind it is. Don't mess around. It's worth a trip to the emergency room to have a snake bite or spider bite checked out. Some bites don't hurt right away and can look harmless but that's because the poison sets in slowly.

For a range of medical supplies and equipment, check out Supply Doctor’s online medical store!

Medical equipment supplies that all hospitals should have

All hospitals should keep key pieces of medical equipment on hand at all times, so that they are ready for any case that might pass through the doors.

Supply Doctor is a reliable, affordable online medical store that can provide you with all the medical equipment supplies in the list below. Take a look at the wide variety on their website today.

ECG Machines
Electrocardiogram (ECG) machines record the electrical activity of the heart over a period of time. ECG machines allow health care providers to monitor the overall rhythm of the heart and identify any abnormalities. These ECG machines are an important part of a hospital’s arsenal, allowing providers to diagnose normal and abnormal rhythms of the heart while patients are under their care.

Electrosurgical Units
An electrosurgical unit is used in surgery to cut, coagulate, or otherwise alter tissue, often to limit the amount of blood flow to an area and increase visibility during a surgery. While a surgery is being performed, these units are vital to cauterizing and minimising blood lose.

Stress Systems
Stress systems test the body beyond normal levels to determine its response, which is ideal for cardiology practice. Stress testing is often imperative to expose a health condition not observable under normal conditions. Stress testing is often used to compare circulation and cardiac function during maximum physical exertion.

Diagnostic Ultrasounds
Diagnostic ultrasound systems provide a painless method of examining the internal body without the use of radiation. This equipment is a safe means by which to measure the size, density, and structure of internal masses in the body and is also an important tool for identifying internal abnormalities or to monitor the growth of a fetus during pregnancy.

Surgical Lights
Surgical lights are so important for proper illumination during surgical procedures. This equipment is a mandatory part of any surgery setting to help surgeons work under adequate lighting conditions.

Patient Beds and Surgical Tables
Surgical tables are a must in hospital settings. For patient preparations, surgical procedures and recovery, this piece of equipment is an absolute must-have for hospitals to keep on-hand as patients go through their care. Patient beds are also one of the most important pieces of hospital equipment to keep in stock. Patient care is often limited to the number of patient beds available for use.

Sterilizers
Hospital sterilizers cover a variety of needs in a hospital setting. The sterilizing process kills all forms of microbial life including fungi, bacteria, viruses, spores, and all other entities present on surgical tools and other medical items. One of the most common sterilizers, the autoclave, sterilizes equipment and supplies by placing them in high-pressure saturated steam for a short period of time.

Anesthesia Machines
Anesthesia machines are designed to provide an accurate and continuous supply of medical gases delivered to the patient at a safe pressure and flow to maintain a proper level of anesthesia. These modern machines include a ventilator, suction unit, and patient-monitoring devices for maintaining adequate anesthesia levels.

Defibrillators
These are commonly used to treat life-threatening conditions such as cardiac arrhythmias, ventricular fibrillation, and tachycardia. By delivering a therapeutic dose of electrical energy, the defibrillator terminates the Arrhythmia and restores a normal rhythm to the heart.

Patient Monitors
The LCD monitor is a standard piece of medical equipment that allows surgeons to view images of surgical procedures in progress at high resolution so that the surgeon has a better view of the procedure. Vital sign monitors are complex devices that use multiple pieces of equipment to keep accurate track of a patient’s condition and state of health during and after surgery.

All these pieces of medical equipment are necessary pieces of a hospital’s health care! Keeping these medical supplies on hand at all times is crucial and a hospital cannot be complete without them.

Medical Equipment every Doctor’s Office Needs

Starting up a business requires quite a large amount of expenses for office equipment and supplies. On top of the computers, printers, phones, and desks found in any other office, a medical practice requires some specialized equipment for diagnosing and treating patients. Here is an overview of the basic items needed for the standard doctor's office…

1. Furniture: Waiting, Exam, Office, and Filing
Every medical office has a waiting room, and this room gives a patient their first impression of a practice. Chairs and tables and maybe a few plants and magazine racks may not sound so important, but the decor of the waiting room can do a lot to set a patient at ease during an anxious time.

The next thing a patient sees is likely to be the exam room, which also needs to appear professional yet soothing. Exam room furnishings include an exam table, a chair or stool for the doctor, often on wheels, and usually a chair for the patient's companion. There will also be a counter and cabinets for supplies.

Depending on the practice, there may also be a computer and large-screen monitor for a doctor to show the results of any x-rays or scans to the patient.

Finally, medical offices require specialized filing and storage solutions for patient documents. Depending on the size of the practice, they can be quite elaborate and large. These involve shelving systems and color-coded files for patient reports.

2. Equipment
Every practice will have specialized equipment such as toys and child-sized items for pediatricians, and fetal monitoring devices for obstetricians. But most medical offices will require some basic diagnostic tools. These can include thermometers, pulse oximeters, sphygmomanometers (better known as blood pressure monitors), audiometers, and stethoscopes. Larger equipment can include EKG machines.

Behind-the-scenes diagnostic equipment often includes microscopes and slide preparation supplies for sample analysis. More complex testing will usually occur at an offsite laboratory, but a small laboratory within the office is good for quick reviews.

Modern offices prefer single-use tools for a variety of purposes as they are more convenient and sterile. But some items such as scalpels, speculums, and extractors need to be cleaned and sterilized for reuse. This procedure involves the use of an autoclave and its associated trays and water filtration system.

3. Consumables
These include any supplies that need to be replaced regularly, such as sterile gloves, paper exam gowns and covers for exam tables, cotton swabs, gauze, tongue depressors, alcohol prep pads, sample containers, chemical test strips, suturing equipment, syringes, disposable instruments, and of course all the standard office, kitchen, and restroom supplies.

A medical office still must function as an office. Finally, most medical offices carry first-aid products and medications, usually for use within the office and not for dispensing to patients. Depending on the practice, these can include antibiotic ointments, topical numbing agents, hydrogen peroxide, and sterile solution.

Like any business, a medical office needs to be well stocked and attractively furnished. It also needs to be prepared for any emergency. A reliable source for medical office equipment and supplies is essential to any practice. To keep a medical practice operating smoothly, contact Supply Doctor for a wide variety of medical supplies and equipment.