​​Medical Office Supplies: 37 Essentials for Your Practice

For stocked offices and exam rooms

Workers at a medical office do much more than provide healthcare. They must also take on complex administrative tasks on a daily or weekly basis, maintain high standards of cleanliness and, occasionally, take a break. To do so, they need medical office supplies that range from everyday office materials to specialized medical tools. 

At Walmart Business, we know that keeping track of all those essentials can quickly become a logistical headache. This medical office supplies list can make the job just a little bit easier.

Administrative medical office supplies

From forms at the front desk to charts in exam rooms, here are just some of the supplies a busy medical office needs:

• Printing paper for patient intake forms, release forms, consent forms and more. (Don’t forget toner.)
• Writing utensils, including pens, pencils and highlighters.
  Staplers and staples keep related documents together and in order.
• File folders or three-ring binders can enable organized storage of important records (which should be stored in a HIPAA-compliant manner).
• Letterhead and envelopes are essential medical stationery supplies for sending out appointment reminders and bills.
• Business cards give patients critical contact information.
• An appointment calendar for an easy-to-read and up-to-date source of truth regarding a busy and ever-shifting schedule.
• Sticky notes are a great way to leave reminders around the office.
• Desk organizers to help reception and nurses alike maintain orderly workstations.

Essential office medical supplies

Of course, patients don’t visit a medical office to marvel at its perfectly organized files. Clinicians need a wide variety of tools to perform their duties, and many can only be used once:

• Cloth gowns for patients during examinations.
• Exam table paper to protect the table.
• Sanitizing foam so healthcare providers can quickly clean their hands before and after meeting with a patient.
• Medical-grade examination gloves help prevent the spread of germs in standard exams.
• Sterile gloves provide an even higher degree of protection from cross-contamination in cases with a higher threat of infection, such as in surgery.
• Syringes allow the administering of medicine via hypodermic needles.
• Lancets make it easy to draw blood for tests.
• Gauze pads are an incredibly versatile tool; they can apply ointments or cleansing fluids to the skin, absorb fluids and provide semi-permeable protection for a wound.
• Bandages of various sizes can protect wounds.
• Cotton swabs can apply disinfectant to injection sites.
• Thermometer probe covers prevent the spread of germs from patient to patient.
• Cotton applicators can collect saliva and other samples or apply treatment to the ear, nose and throat.
• Tongue blades depress the tongue to allow a clear look at the mouth and throat.
• Tweezers can extract splinters and other hard-to-reach, small objects.

Janitorial and cleaning supplies

More than perhaps any other business, medical offices must maintain high standards of cleanliness. 

• Wastebaskets with lids help contain trash with odors or that might attract pests.
• Wastebaskets without lids make recycling and disposing of other waste more convenient.
• Facial tissues can clean up a spill in a pinch or be used for nose-blowing.
• Paper towels serve as the first resort for cleaning countertops, glass, examination tables and plenty of other surfaces.
• Liquid or foam soap allows for thorough hand cleaning for patients and staff.
• Toilet cleaning liquid stops bacteria from proliferating.
• Glass cleaner keeps surfaces clear and streak-free.
• Disinfectant spray maintains a clean environment.

Breakroom supplies

Whether they’re eating lunch, grabbing a snack or simply decompressing for a few minutes between tasks, employees are likely to appreciate finding the following in the breakroom:

• Coffee is the drink of choice for many and can energize employees during the workday.
• Disposable dishes, forks, knives and spoons cut down on cleanup.
• Reusable, easy-to-clean dishes and utensils reduce your office’s carbon footprint.
• Water coolers or fountains help employees stay hydrated and comfortable.
• Snacks keep office staff going on those long days.

Let Walmart Business+ help

Keeping a typical office fully stocked is challenging enough. Add the additional layer of medical supplies to the equation and it grows that much more complicated. But it doesn’t have to be. With Walmart Business+, you can find everything you need to run your medical office at everyday low prices. You can resupply on your schedule, manage your orders with built-in analytic tools, ship them all for free and earn rewards on your purchases. Curious to learn more? Click here to sign up.