Medical Devices Can Help You Stay On Track During The Holidays

The holiday season is upon us and with it comes many opportunities to overindulge, like the family gatherings, the office parties and other seasonal events.

If you’re watching your weight or if you have diabetes, of course you’ll want to partake in all the festive fun, but you’ll also need to take the necessary precautions to safeguard your health during this time. Glucose meters and blood pressure monitors are tools you can use that will help you to have a happy and healthy holiday season.

Glucose Monitors

Blood glucose meters are small computerized machines that read the sugar levels in your blood.  In these meters, your blood glucose level shows up as a number on a screen, similar to that of a calculator. Self-monitoring is an important part of diabetes management because it puts you in charge of your health, giving you an idea of what you should be eating.

If your insurance company doesn’t pay for glucose meters, you’ll want to shop around for the best value. Hospital Overstock offers reduced pricing on both glucose meters and the glucose testing strips, which can help you stretch your healthcare spending budget.

Those with diabetes are accustomed to using these glucose meters regularly before and after meals, and the holidays should be no exception, according to Medicine.net.  “The ideal goals, regardless of the season, are fasting values of 80-120 mg/dl before eating and about 140mg/dl 2 hours after eating. Values higher than these indicate that there may be a little too much holiday cheer going on!”

Blood Pressure Monitors

A blood pressure monitor is also a great device for home use as it gives you control of your condition. Monitoring your blood pressure can help you determine if your holiday activities need to be adjusted. Plan in advance for big meals and parties by determining what you might splurge on and what you might skip, and by adding some additional exercise, like a brisk walk, to your routine.

By using available health measurement devices and doing some pre-holiday planning, you’re sure to set yourself up for an enjoyable and healthy holiday season.

What other medical devices have you found to be helpful in maintaining your health goals during the holidays? We’d love to hear from you.

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What Do Tracking Codes Mean For the Medical Device Industry?

As we all heard back in September, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a ruling requiring that most medical devices sold in the U.S. include tracking codes known as unique device identifiers (UDIs). These UDIs, which need to identify the product make, manufacture date and lot number, will allow federal health regulators to track medical devices and monitor them for safety. But, what does this ruling mean for medical device companies?

1) Rising Costs of Manufacturing

Rising Costs of Manufacturing

Adding this extra step to the manufacturing process will be costly. The implementation of adding the UDIs in the products and    the process of testing such codes so they work accurately will be one of the biggest challenges. In preparation to make UDIs fulfill their function, there will have to be plenty of trial and error before the cataloguing of all medical devices is accurate. Additional costs will also come from training medical staff on how to use the new system and modifying device labels. However, these increased costs should return benefits in the long-run.

2) Public and Easy Access to a Catalog

Unique Device Identifiers

Because the FDA is currently missing a database where to track faulty medical devices, this new ruling will bring a most-needed solution to federal health regulators, doctors and even patients. The FDA plans to add each device UDI in a public database where everyone will have access to a medical device’s information and be able to identify the quality of said device. Doctors, hospitals and insurers will be able to take advantage of their access to this database by adding the UDIs to a patient’s medical records, which will be useful in identifying patients who have been affected by faulty devices.

3) Monitor Device Safety

Monitor Device Safety

The biggest benefit of this ruling is the ability to determine which devices are safe for patients to use. The UDI system seeks to resolve many of the issues the medical industry has faced over the years regarding medical device recalls. Some of the highest recalls involved defibrillators, artificial hips and drug pumps. The implementation of UDIs will not only result in increased trust in the medical device industry, but also in increased patient safety.

The new system will begin to take effect in early 2014 starting with high-risk devices such as defibrillators and heart stents. As process of implementing this system is tailored appropriately, the UDIs will begin to be added to moderate-risk devices such as X-ray systems and power wheelchairs.

Can you think of other ways the new tracking codes will affect the medical industry?

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Hospital Overstock Has Diverse Clientele

Many businesses sell their products and services to one type of clientele or industry, but that is not the case with medical overstock. Our name may even deceive some. While our primary audience is those in the medical industries, we market to a wide variety of businesses.

What’s great about the surgical supplies and other medical overstock we sell is that they can be useful in many different companies. Here are some of the applications our products have in various industries.

1. Medical Facilities and Veterinary Offices

Medical Facilities and Veterinary Offices

Our most obvious clientele are those in medical facilities. These hospitals and practices are likely to buy and sell products like diagnostic stations, exam chairs and wheelchairs. Blood pressure monitors and diapers are useful at nursing homes and elder-care facilities, as well as on an individual basis. Veterinary offices also require similar products like gloves and scales.

2. Construction Companies and Manufacturers

Construction Companies and Manufacturers

To the outside eye, the construction industry seems so far removed from our business. However, construction companies and manufacturers are also potential customers for medical overstock. Whether you are building a house or manufacturing a product, our masks and first aid products can be very practical.

3. Hair Salons and Tattoo Parlors

Tattoo Parlors and Hair Salons

Our products are also fit for hair salons and tattoo parlors. Hair salons and spas have a need for gloves when coloring hair and flat tables for massage treatments. It may be unexpected, but we sell the same exam chairs to dental facilities as we do to tattoo parlors.

Were you surprised by some of the industries we work with? Or does your business fit into one of these categories? Get in touch with us on our social media pages.

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The Baby Boomer Generation Can Benefit From Medical Overstock

The Baby Boomer generation is getting older, and it’s no secret that many of them are prolonging retirement. Baby Boomers make up approximately 26 percent of the population in the United States. Of them, 280,000 turn 65 each month and qualify for retirement age. Whether it’s because they need to save more for retirement or because they are able to work for longer, their health and wealth considerations contribute to the Baby Boomers being a prime user of medical overstock, and thus a prime customer for Hospital Overstock.

Many Baby Boomers Need to Fill More Piggy Banks Before Retirement

Their Health

With fewer deaths from heart disease, stroke and cancer, American Baby Boomers are predicted to live longer. Many Baby Boomers have made positive habit changes like smoking less, but they are also experiencing higher levels of obesity and diabetes.

Their Finances

Retiring at age 65 is no longer the plan for many Baby Boomers. In fact, 30 to 50 percent say they have not saved enough to do so. Merrill Lynch reported that 78 percent plan to work into their 60s and 70s. Because Baby Boomers are living longer, members of this generation have to make more money to sustain them throughout their lives. They are expected to live for another 20 to 25 years and need to plan their finances accordingly.

How Hospital Overstock Can Help Baby Boomers

Hospital Overstock Products Can Help Baby Boomers And Their Aging Parents

Both the financial and longevity factors of the Baby Boomers generation explain why they would be interested in medical surplus products. Pretty soon, they or someone they are caring for, like an aging parent, may need some of the products we sell at Hospital Overstock. We offer these products, like Attends adult diapers, blood pressure monitors and diabetes testing strips at discounted prices up to 50 percent. In these tough economic times, Baby Boomers can turn to distributors like us for the medical supplies they need at prices that are friendly to their wallets.

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Six Reasons Why Medical Surplus Exists

From mistakes in production to changes in hospital procedures and equipment, there are many reasons why medical surplus exists. Distributors like Hospital Overstock can sell this surplus and save it from the landfills and incinerators. Below is a breakdown of six sources for medical equipment and supply surplus.

1. Manufacturer Production Overages

Manufacturer Production Overages

Manufacturers of medical devices and disposables sometimes produce too much product. Whether this overage is a mistake or a result of change in buyers, manufacturers in this situation now have more products to sell. In order to make up for the time, money and resource used during production, these businesses can sell their surplus to distributors like Hospital Overstock.

2. Cosmetically-Damaged Packaging

During the production process, product packaging mistakes may occur. To resolve these errors, a manufacturer will produce more products with the correct packaging. While the product is the same, cosmetically-damaged packaging is a reason to sell to a distributor rather than sending the product to retail stores.

3. Manufacturers Buying Out Competitor Products In Store

When a company produces a new product, it often wants to showcase the product front and center in retail stores. One way to ensure that the new product maintains the spotlight is to buy out competitors’ products at drugstores like CVS and Walgreens. When that happens, the company can sell the competitors’ products to Hospital Overstock rather than destroying the product.

4. Product Enhancements

Hospital Equipment Surplus

When new technology emerges in the market or a more popular product controls the market, medical centers often want to get their hands on it. Their current devices are often still operational and valuable. When these hospitals and clinics upgrade their technology, distributors can buy their existing equipment and sell it to another center that could use them.

5. Inventory Management Oversight

Errors in hospital inventory management can lead to a surplus of supplies. Rather than letting excess items sit on the shelf and impact their bottom lines, medical centers have the option of selling their unused products to businesses like ours.

6. Medical Centers Discontinue Procedures

If a facility stops offering a procedure or treatment, it may no longer need certain medical equipment and supplies. Medical centers in this situation can hold onto their supplies if they expect the procedure to return, but they risk the possibility of expired or obsolete inventory by the time the procedure is offered again. To combat this problem, they can sell current inventory and purchase more in the future if needed.

Are you looking to get rid of excess medical equipment or disposables? If so, visit our sell page for information on working with us.

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Welcome to Hospital Overstock

In these tight economic times, everyone is looking to cut costs where they can, including those in the medical/surgical industry.

Federal reimbursements are shrinking and budgets are being slashed while healthcare costs continue to soar. It can be tough for nursing homes, non-profit medical facilities and those that receive reimbursements, even home health care nurses.

That’s where Hospital Overstock comes in. We help our customers stretch their purchasing dollars by offering brand name medical and surgical supplies at closeout prices.

We really don’t think you’ll find another business like ours out there, but if you do, make sure they provide you with the following:

medical logos

Brand names you trust: Attends, BD, Carex, Convatec, Drive, First Quality, McKesson, Medline, Smith & Nephew, Welch Allyn.

New products still in original packaging: Hundreds of medical Items ranging from antiseptic wipes and adult diapers to, surgical gloves and syringes come complete with manufacturer’s warranty and date of expiration clearly marked.

Discounts of up to 50 percent: You won’t find better savings on brand name, new products.

25 years of experience in this field: We’ve built solid relationships with our suppliers and customers and have a great reputation.

Buying and selling services: Got a specific need? Check with us before you reorder elsewhere. Got extra inventory on your hands? We can help you there, too.

Refurbished products: From medical power chairs to high-end dental chairs, we’ve got totally refurbished products to suit your needs.

Same day shipping: Orders are shipped the same day you place the order .

No minimum quantity purchase requirements: Purchase as much or as little as you’d like. Take immediate action on items you know you want.

Changing inventory: We buy in bulk from hospitals, medical manufacturing facilities and distributors, resulting in a constantly changing inventory that we share with our customers.

Newly redesigned website: Our new site allows you to check back with us daily for the products you’re seeking. See it? Click it! And add it to your cart.

While we strive to meet every need and request of our customers, the very nature of our business means we can’t be a monthly source of any one item. But if you’re in the medical field, know that our constantly changing inventory can be a money-saving resource for you.

We’re always looking for ways to improve what we do. Please tweet us your comments and suggestions. We’d love to hear from you.

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Need surgical supplies?

Check out our store page for the same name-brands you require, but for less.