Environmental and Organizational Factors Associated with Hospital Use of GPO Services.

Given the potential benefits of Group Purchasing Organizations in cost-containment efforts for hospitals on supplies and purchased services, an important question that remains unanswered is what conditions support or hinder the utilization of GPOs by hospitals. Therefore, this study explores the relationship between GPO use by hospitals and their market and organizational characteristics. Data on hospital GPO utilization and other organizational characteristics were combined with secondary hospital market characteristics. Panel logistic regression with random effects and state and year fixed effects analysis was used to examine the relationship between hospitals' utilization of GPO services and hospitals' organizational and market characteristics. Overall, the majority of hospitals utilized the services of GPOs. Specifically, the number of hospitals utilizing the services of GPOs increased slightly from 3290 (72.2%) in 2004 to 3337 (74.4%) in 2013. In regression analyses, hospitals utilizing the services of GPOs operated in an external environment with mixed levels of munificence, more dynamism, and less competition. Specifically, hospitals operating in a less munificent environment are more likely to utilize the services of GPOs. The study findings provide organizational decision-makers and policymakers' insights into how certain market and organizational factors influence hospital strategy choice, in this case, the use of GPOs.

"Whether something cool is good enough": The role of evidence, sales representatives and nurses' expertise in hospital purchasing decisions.

The emphasis on "value" within healthcare institutions has achieved unprecedented priority, particularly around the purchase of medical products and equipment. Health systems and institutions are implementing formal decision-making processes involving clinicians and supply chain professionals to rationalize purchasing and promote cost-effective investment. One particular form of this process is the "Value Analysis" process. Drawing from fieldwork (100 h), interviews (n = 51) and focus groups (n = 4) conducted from January 2012 to October 2014 at 4 acute care hospitals in the western United States, I analyze the ways that committee members constructed and evaluated a case for a product's value. Participants (n = 72) were a purposive sample including nurses, administrators, supply chain and industry professionals. Interpretive phenomenology served as the analytic approach to generating iterative themes. While trying to be evidence-based, Value Analysis committees lacked data related to a product's price or efficacy and relied heavily on local knowledge and expertise. Sales representatives were an integral part of the process, creating interest in the product and providing product information. As vehicles for cost-savings and quality improvement, purchasing committees need unique support that emphasizes local contexts and expertise, while maintaining rigor and minimizing bias. Drawing from participants' experiences, and principles of health technology assessment and economic evaluation, a guiding framework is proposed to support this decision-making.

Smarter procurement could save NHS millions each year.

A campaign that could save the NHS millions through procuring medical supplies more efficiently has been launched.

Towards IHE profiles for e-supply in the healthcare domain.

Procurement and supply belong to the crucial supporting processes in hospitals. By providing the right products at the right time in the right quantity in the right place, these processes are of major importance for patient safety and the success of the primary hospital process cure and care. Though of such an importance, the hospital's internal and external procurement and supply processes are still not performed seamlessly by information systems, due to a variety of electronic standards for procurement and supply. These different standards and missing guidelines for electronic procurement and supply in the healthcare domain lead to little or no interoperability between the participating procurement and supply systems. Consequences can be delayed or wrong supply, and increased costs. To overcome this deficiency this work describes the derivation of a common guideline for the implementation of electronically enabled supply processes in the healthcare domain based upon the identification of commonly used electronic standards and detailed specifications of procurement processes in hospital facilities.

Evaluation and purchase of an analytical flow cytometer: some of the numerous factors to consider.

When purchasing a flow cytometer, the decision of which brand, model, specifications, and accessories may be challenging. The decisions should initially be guided by the specific applications intended for the instrument. However, many other factors need to be considered, which include hardware, software, quality assurance, support, service, and price and recommendations from colleagues. These issues are discussed to help guide the purchasing process.

Implementing AORN recommended practices for product selection.

This article focuses on the revised AORN "Recommended practices for product selection in perioperative practice settings." Hospitals and ambulatory surgery facilities should have protocols in place for product evaluation that includes a multidisciplinary team approach. The process for product evaluation and selection includes gathering information; establishing consistent requirements for product evaluation; performing a financial impact analysis; investigating a plan to standardize products; conducting an environmental impact analysis; determining whether to purchase single-use, reposable, or reusable products or reprocess single-use devices; developing an evaluation process based on objective criteria; and developing and implementing a comprehensive plan to introduce and use new products. Use of an evaluation tool that is based on objective criteria is one way to obtain valuable input during product evaluations. Because of varied roles and experiences, the perioperative RN is an integral member of the product selection committee.