Recent studies have determined hospitals may spend the equivalent of six-and-a-half nurses' salaries each year to pay their nursing staff to locate medical equipment. And when a particular piece is not located, they may rent what is needed from neighboring services set up for that purpose—services that may, accidentally or not, be in possession of the very hospital property they're looking for. In some instances the piece may be off line, awaiting sterilization, or be strategically placed away so it's available for the next emergency or use demand.