The Case for Biomed Involvement in Purchasing

Abstract

Money talks. There is no better way for a biomedical engineering or healthcare technology management (HTM) to get the attention of the supply chain or materials management department—which is run by financially focused individuals—than to prove you can save them money. Many hospitals use Quint Studer’s management principles, which are driven by basic pillars that can be adopted and customized. They usually include: people, quality, service, and financial. Studer teaches that if you attract and retain the best people, and hardwire a culture of quality and service, then positive financial results will follow. However, I have found that describing the intangible effects of selecting better products and therefore increasing physician satisfaction, seems to result in a mild reaction from chief financial officers (CFOs), as compared to telling them that you saved $150,000 by reallocating underutilized systems. Since CFOs are almost always the lead on procurement processes, they are the ones to focus on, even if your primary motivator is one of the other pillars.