Materials Support Assistant

Boston Medical Center•Boston, MA

About The Position

Under the general guidance of the Manager and/or Supervisor of Materials Distribution Services, the Materials Support Assistant performs daily tasks to ensure clinical areas have the right medical and surgical supplies, in the right quantity and location. Duties include ordering, replenishing, delivering, and managing expiration dates for supplies using handheld terminals and/or manual methods. The role also receives packages at receiving docks and delivers them to the appropriate locations, and helps maintain warehouse inventory, including code carts. Work is performed according to department standards with a focus on exceptional customer service. The assistant handles supplies for assigned inpatient and outpatient departments, maintains stock in clean utility rooms and other storage areas, rotates and counts inventory, enters and uploads orders, and picks and consolidates items. Receiving and delivery duties include scanning and documenting packages, checking quantities and packing slips, processing inventory receipts, prioritizing deliveries, obtaining recipient signatures, notifying buyers of merchandise issues, and communicating receiving problems to supervisors. Other responsibilities include cross-training and providing coverage, responding to service requests, maintaining various carts and boxes, recording transactions, distributing requisitions and supplies, performing inventory counts, operating material-handling equipment, delivering oxygen tanks and clean linen, and following hospital infection-control, safety, conduct, and customer-service standards. The position is full time, scheduled for 40 hours per week from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., with holidays and rotating weekends.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
At least 3–12 months of experience in shipping, receiving, warehouse work, material handling, or inventory maintenance.
Ability to read and write English, perform basic math, and communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
Ability to work accurately and pay attention to detail.
Ability to reach, stoop, bend, and lift up to 60 pounds, and push up to 300 pounds unassisted.
Adequate visual acuity to read handheld scanners accurately.

Responsibilities

Handle medical and surgical supplies for assigned inpatient nursing units and outpatient departments using hospital inventory software.
Put away supplies from vendor trolleys in clean utility rooms, medication rooms, and other storage areas.
Rotate and count supplies, enter accurate counts into inventory software, and upload orders to the host server on time.
Ensure warehouse picks for par items are completed the same day and consolidate like items in vendor totes.
Receive packages at the docks, scan and log them, verify box counts and products against packing slips, and process receipts in the inventory module.
Prioritize and deliver packages, including immediate delivery of STAT packages, obtain end-user signatures, and complete manual logs when the delivery system is unavailable.
Notify buyers and supervisors or managers of merchandise discrepancies and other receiving issues.
Participate in cross-training and provide assigned coverage for absent or vacationing employees.
Respond to service requests through telephone, tube, beeper, and personal contact, and refer unresolved requests to the lead MSA or MDS Manager/Supervisor.
Maintain inventory for code carts, intubation boxes, latex-free boxes, ICU exchange carts, Endovascular carts, CAPD carts, and other assigned items.
Report stock-outs, errors, and deficiencies; keep work and lounge areas clean and neat.
Assist with hospital emergency disaster plans and follow infection-control and safety procedures.
Verify item numbers and quantities when fulfilling requisitions, record transactions, and file documents as required.
Perform over-the-counter ancillary order distribution and deliver Requisition Self Service orders to end users.
Break down bulk supplies and place stock in designated storage areas.
Perform cycle and annual inventory counts as required and rotate stock using first-in, first-out procedures.
Operate material-handling equipment and deliver supplies using distribution carts.
Order for NP and MP Warehouses and pick ancillary department orders as assigned.
Deliver and retrieve specialty and disaster carts, oxygen tanks, and clean linen as needed.
Represent the hospital professionally and perform other related duties as needed.