Supply Bin Color Coding Leads to Organized Storage

By Spencer Fullerton 

Whether or not you're a proponent, color coding is an effective way to help with organization and standardization of medical supplies. Facilities across the country are utilizing multiple colors of supply storage bins to organize areas within materials management to supply rooms located on patient care units. Simple color coding strategies make it easy to locate and replenish items. Examples: yellow for urinary supplies, blue for respiratory items, green for dressing supplies, red for cardiac related items.

With these simple color coding strategies the time to locate supplies can be reduced and no matter where you’re working in the hospital the system remains the same and reduces confusion to staff. The replenishment task also becomes more streamlined from materials management. Grouping of like supplies by the color of bin they’re stored in makes sense. The use of colors can help ensure the correct type of supply is being loaded in the correct bin so that when the busy medical professional retrieves the supply from the bin it’s the correct supply. A reduction in replenishment times leads to more time for other activities and cost savings. One of the best things about color coding with supply storage bins is training on color codes is easy and  a system is quick and easy to implement.

Sharing the system with others can be easily accomplished by posting attractive and neatly designed signs in supply areas that list colors and supplies associated with each color.

When you start your search for multiple colors of supply storage bins look no further than Health Care Logistics which offers 14 colors in 17 sizes. With these options there are unlimited possibilities.