How Many Reusable Instrument Sets Does Your Clinic Need?

One of the first questions clinics ask when considering outsourced instrument reprocessing is:

How many instrument sets do we actually need?

There is no single number that suits every clinic.

The right instrument inventory depends on how many procedures you perform, how often instruments are collected for reprocessing, turnaround times and how much backup stock your clinic wants available.

Getting this balance right can help your clinic maintain instrument availability without purchasing significantly more instruments than necessary.

Start With Your Weekly Instrument Usage

The first step is to understand how many reusable sets your clinic typically uses.

For example, a podiatry clinic may use:

• 5 sets per day

• 25 sets per week

• Approximately 100 sets per month

A larger clinic may use considerably more, while a mobile practitioner may only use a small number each week.

Rather than focusing on patient numbers alone, look specifically at how many reusable instrument packs are opened during a normal week.

This provides a much better starting point for planning your instrument inventory.

Allow for Instruments Being Away for Reprocessing

When instruments are outsourced for reprocessing, part of your instrument inventory will temporarily be away from the clinic.

Your remaining instruments need to cover procedures while those sets are being:

• Collected

• Transported

• Cleaned and inspected

• Packaged

• Sterilised

• Returned to your clinic

This is why a clinic that uses 20 sets per week generally needs more than 20 sets in total.

The aim is to create a rotation.

One group of instruments is being used while another group is being reprocessed and returned.

Think in Instrument Rotations

A simple way to plan your instrument inventory is to divide it into working groups.

Batch A In use at the clinic.

Batch B Away being reprocessed.

Reserve instruments Available to cover unexpected demand, transport delays or busy procedure sessions.

This approach helps maintain continuity without requiring every instrument set to remain onsite at all times.

Your Collection Frequency Makes a Difference

How often you send instruments for reprocessing will also affect the number of sets you need.

A clinic sending instruments regularly may require fewer additional sets than one that waits several weeks between batches.

Higher-volume clinics may benefit from establishing a regular collection cycle so instruments continually rotate between the clinic and the reprocessing facility.

Your ideal schedule will depend on:

• Weekly instrument usage

• Clinic operating days

• Procedure volume

• Location

• Transport turnaround

• Available instrument stock

• 
  

Don't Forget Peak Demand

Your average week isn't always your busiest week.

When planning instrument numbers, consider periods where demand may increase.

This could include:

• Additional clinicians working

• Busy procedure days

• New practitioners joining the clinic

• Increased patient bookings

• Multiple locations sharing instrument stock

• Unexpected replacement of damaged instruments

Keeping a reasonable reserve helps avoid running short when activity increases.

Do All Instrument Sets Need to Be Identical?

No.

Some clinics prefer every set to contain exactly the same instruments, while others require different configurations for different clinicians or procedures.

For example, one podiatrist may prefer a particular nail clipper while another uses a different style.

A clinic might also maintain:

• Standard treatment sets

• Nail surgery sets

• Specialty instrument sets

• Burr packs

• Individual reusable instruments

PodMed can work with clinics using different instrument combinations rather than requiring every pack to follow one standard configuration.

What If You Don't Own Enough Instruments?

You don't necessarily need to purchase an entirely new instrument fleet before outsourcing.

PodMed offers three approaches.

Use Your Existing Instruments

Continue using the reusable instruments your clinicians already know and prefer.

Use PodMed-Supplied Instruments

Additional reusable instrument sets can be supplied through PodMed where suitable.

This can help clinics increase their available instrument inventory without purchasing every additional set upfront.

Combine Both

Many clinics may find a hybrid model works well.

You can retain preferred or specialty instruments while using PodMed-supplied sets to increase general instrument availability.

This provides flexibility as procedure volumes change.

Example: A Clinic Using 20 Sets Per Week

Consider a clinic that typically uses around 20 reusable instrument sets each week.

Rather than owning only 20 sets, the clinic may establish enough inventory to allow one group of instruments to be away for reprocessing while another remains available for appointments.

Additional reserve sets can then provide protection against particularly busy weeks.

The exact number required will depend on the clinic's location, collection schedule and how quickly instruments are used.

This is why instrument planning should be based on the clinic's actual workflow rather than simply choosing an arbitrary number of sets.

What About Growing Clinics?

Instrument requirements should be reviewed as the clinic grows.

If procedure volume increases from 20 sets per week to 40, the instrument rotation may also need to increase.

The advantage of an outsourced model is that the clinic can adjust its collection frequency and instrument inventory as its requirements change.

This can be particularly useful for:

• Growing podiatry clinics

• New clinic locations

• Multi-site groups

• Mobile practitioners

• GP and skin procedure clinics

• 
  

Frequently Asked Questions

How many instrument sets should a clinic have?

There is no fixed number for every clinic. A practical starting point is to consider your average weekly usage, the number of sets that may be away for reprocessing, and a small reserve for busy periods or unexpected delays.

Do I need twice as many sets as I use each week?

Not always. The number required depends on your collection frequency, location, turnaround time and daily procedure volume. Some clinics may need close to two working rotations, while others may manage effectively with less.

Can I use my own instruments with PodMed?

Yes. Clinics can continue using their own compatible reusable instruments and have them professionally reprocessed by PodMed.

Can PodMed supply extra instrument sets?

Yes. PodMed can supply selected reusable instrument sets as part of the service, which can help clinics increase capacity without purchasing every additional set upfront.

Can I use a mix of my instruments and PodMed instruments?

Yes. A hybrid model allows clinics to keep preferred or specialty instruments while using PodMed-supplied sets for other procedures.

Do all my instrument packs have to contain the same items?

No. Pack configurations can be tailored to suit the clinic's workflow and clinician preferences.

How often should we send instruments for reprocessing?

This depends on your usage volume and available stock. Regular collections can help maintain a steady instrument rotation and reduce the amount of additional stock required.

What happens if our clinic suddenly becomes busier?

Keeping a reserve of additional instrument sets can help cover busy periods. Clinics can also review their collection frequency and instrument numbers as demand increases.

Is outsourced reprocessing suitable for a new clinic?

It can be a practical option for new clinics that want to use reusable instruments without establishing a complete onsite reprocessing setup from the beginning.

Can PodMed help us work out how many sets we need?

Yes. PodMed can review your current instrument use, procedure volume, location and preferred collection frequency to help establish a practical instrument rotation.

Work Out the Right Number for Your Clinic

The best instrument inventory is one that allows your clinicians to work normally while instruments move through the reprocessing cycle.

Start with:

Average weekly instrument use + instruments away for reprocessing + a reasonable reserve.

From there, your collection frequency and instrument mix can be adjusted to create a practical rotation.

PodMed Supplies can help clinics review their current instrument usage and determine a suitable setup using clinic-owned instruments, PodMed-supplied sets or a combination of both.

Simplify Your Instrument Workflow

If you're considering outsourced instrument reprocessing but aren't sure how many sets your clinic would need, speak with PodMed Supplies.

We can help you work through your current procedure volume, instrument inventory and collection requirements.

PodMed Supplies

1300 358 064

hello@podmedsupplies.com.au