by Mark Miranda
 

No army can go into battle without the people behind the lines who provide support. So, too, a hospital cannot function well without the help of the staff in support departments.
Bandages, tubing, swabs, solutions and ointments don't appear at the snap of a finger, but more likely at a click of a mouse in the Purchasing Department. More appropriately named Materials Management, the staff here is responsible for the ordering, receiving, reconfiguring and distribution of a wide variety of supplies to departments throughout the Hospital.
Like any business, the Hospital requires a large supply of forms, stationary, and computer supplies. And because, we are a hospital, we also need an abundance of very special medical supplies and equipment and maintenance supplies.
Lucy Echeverria-Torres makes order out of the deluge of requests for supplies they receive every day. The sources from which these supplies will be ordered are as numerous and diverse as the supplies themselves. And, just like most of us do personally, the Materials Management team must look for bargains, negotiate a better price and prepare for delivery and storage. She is also responsible for renting all specialty beds, mattresses and wound vacs.
In the storeroom, where thousands of items line the shelves, one area is set aside for medical items. This section is self-contained with its own clean air system and temperature control to protect the supplies. As everyone who has been in a storeroom knows, in the winter when a truck is making a delivery, and the overhead door is open, it can get pretty chilly.
John Amendolia is responsible for this critical area. John also receives truck shipments, sorts, stacks on shelves and delivers orders to Hospital Departments. And of course, all of these activities require a great deal of paperwork. He is also responsible for stocking all specialty carts (crash, isolation, urology, etc.)
The support the Materials Management Department provides affects the activity of every other department in the hospital.