March 29, 2024

approves purchase of infusion pumps

The Greater Regional Medical Center (GRMC) hospital board unanimously approved the $82,000 purchase of 50 new IV infusion pumps for use throughout the hospital during Monday’s regular monthly board meeting.

“We’re asking for them because the pumps that we currently have are ‘end of life’ in December,” Michelle Lents, nurse manager at GRMC, said.

The $82,000 purchase request includes the 50 pumps, a “safety ware program” and an annual recurring cost of upkeep. Once the new pumps are put in place and because the old pumps are past their useful life expectancy, the hospital is looking into the possibility of selling them to an outside entity for parts.

Sid Ramsey, a representative from Unity Point was present at the meeting and said he was glad Unity Point could help with negotiation of the purchase and bring the price down.

Without help from Unity Point and another company, Vizient, Inc, each pump would have cost the hospital $5,000 each rather than the $1,100 they were able to be purchased for.

“When you break it all down, [the] first year expense would have been $149,000 versus $74,000,” Lents said, “and the five year expense would have been $205,000 versus $82,000.”