---
title: "Healthcare Hero Iris Mendoza: Behind the Scenes of Healing"
description: Learn more about Iris Mendoza's pivotal role in maintaining the seamless day-to-day operations of Kaweah Health Medical Center, contributing to its preparedness to save a patient's life.
image: https://info.usme.com/hubfs/Iris%20Mendoza-1.png
---

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# Healthcare Hero Iris Mendoza: Behind the Scenes of Healing

![Iris Mendoza](https://info.usme.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Iris%20Mendoza-1.png?width=269&height=379&name=Iris%20Mendoza-1.png)When a patient arrives at a Kaweah Health Medical Center in need of help, time is of the essence. Clinicians work quickly to find the right medical equipment and get that patient onto a WAVE mattress as quickly as possible. But having that equipment or therapeutic surface on hand is not always easy. That’s where Iris Mendoza comes in.

A dedicated member of the Kaweah Health team in Visalia, California for 17 years, Iris is an Inventory Buyer for the Medical Center. She holds a vital responsibility in meticulously managing inventory and supplies across multiple hospital departments. Her role ensures that each area is well-stocked and fully equipped to respond promptly in life-saving situations. Whether overseeing supplies in individual rooms or managing essentials on crash carts, Iris plays a pivotal role in maintaining the seamless day-to-day operations of the hospital, contributing to its preparedness to save a patient’s life.

This position was Iris’ first step into the world of healthcare and started when her son was just five months old and called for many long overnights, weekends, and second shifts as the need for equipment never stops in a hospital.

> ## “I love my job, I really do. Even as stressful as it can be, it always feels like a family here,” Iris said. “The people I work with and am surrounded by have become my family.”

USME Team Lead Jeffrey Smith has been working with Iris for more than six years, making sure that life-saving equipment is delivered to her facilities as soon as it's ordered.

“We work 24 hours a day seven days a week here so when we get an order at midnight, it’s nice that it's always a USME Customer Service Representative who answers. USME has definitely made my job easier because I don’t have any problems getting paperwork or if I ever have any questions, they are quick to be answered. The online portal also makes it a lot simpler, because now I can see everything USME is showing active and compare it with my systems to make sure everything matches,” Iris said.

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