Budgeting and tracking supply chain data can improve ASC supply chains, according to Tom Hui, founder of ASC management software company HSTpathways and Kerri Ubaldi, RN, vice president of operations for Merritt Healthcare.
Four tips:
1. Order from more than one group purchasing organization. Managers should consistently review purchasing patterns and their GPO contracts to see which ones offer the best deals.
2. Standardize supplies through considering what supplies are ordered and from what distributors can cause an ASC to lose money. When supplies are standardized, costs remain constant.
3. Review service contracts and compare them to other options from vendors to help supply chain staff choose the most cost-effective option.
4. Look over the costs of supplies, procedures and equipment to help make financial decisions about staffing and surgeon performance.