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District projects higher oxygen and medical supply costs; commissioners ask for usage metrics and stock thresholds
Summary
Staff reported oxygen costs will rise from $10,000 to closer to $16,000 because of usage and supply pressures; commissioners asked for usage metrics, order cycles and desired on‑hand thresholds to justify the change.
Chief Lindsey told commissioners the oxygen budget line should increase — staff now expect to spend closer to $16,000 rather than the $10,000 budgeted this year — driven by summer call volume and replacement of expiring tanks and components.
Staff explained spikes can come from storms, clinic failures or an increase in non‑transport oxygen calls; the district sometimes lends tanks on emergency calls when private suppliers are not immediately available. “Sometimes you see those spikes … I had to order a whole bunch of things because supply shortages,” Lindsey said.
Why it matters: oxygen and other medical supplies are recurring operational costs that influence year‑to‑year budgets. Commissioners asked staff to provide call‑volume metrics, month‑by‑month usage trends and the district’s target stock thresholds (for example, one‑month supply for common items and three‑to‑six months for high‑use items) so the budgeted amounts reflect usage and supply reliability.
The commissioners also discussed supply ordering cycles (staff said they order weekly to weekly‑and‑a‑half) and the practice of keeping enough on hand for back‑to‑back high‑acuity calls. Staff agreed to add notes explaining high‑cost drivers, order cycles, and how first‑aid non‑transport calls affect the supply drawdown.
