• Supply Chain

  Let's talk about costs…

  Posted by Brian Bartel on December 13, 2020 at 12:33 am

  It comes as no surprise that the costs of U.S. healthcare keep increasing, sparking heated political debates and creating division on how to solve this problem. That being said, who fully understands the costs associated with healthcare and how to address the subject of rising costs? It is apparent that we need interdisciplinary teams to evaluate processes and provide a true and realistic assessment of operations.

  In supply chain, cost has long been a factor in decision-making and has been a key performance indicator in many organizations. Unfortunately, some of these efforts get mired with the impression that “cheap” products should take precedence over quality, which cannot be further from the truth. In many situations, clinical teams may not have been included in decision-making processes and been caught off guard with changes or initiatives that were made with the best intentions in mind. Terms such as “standardization” have permeated the healthcare supply chain and for the right reasons, but has this been communicated in an effective and transparent way to clinical teams? How do we inform front line staff and engage these dedicated professionals with the need to reduce costs?

  And why should all employees, staff and physicians be aware of costs? COVID-19 has demonstrated the ineffective ways that healthcare revenues are created, and according to the American Hospital Association there have been more than 3 dozen hospitals that have entered bankruptcy. Over 3 dozen hospitals have entered bankruptcy…during a pandemic. The financial viability of our healthcare system depends on the awareness of both costs and revenue streams and the willingness to look into creating more efficient processes.

  The key is collaboration. Open communication must occur between administration, supply chain, finance and the clinical teams. This is easier said than done, especially in the middle of a pandemic when healthcare is struggling to purchase routines supplies such as gowns, gloves, masks and other essential PPE and front line clinical workers are facing the daunting tasks of taking care of critically ill patients day in and day out in high stress situations.

  How do we bridge this gap? How do we, in each of our individual roles, work together to address costs and work cohesively to examine inefficiencies in our processes?

  • This discussion was modified 3 years, 7 months ago by  Brian Bartel.

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  Brian Bartel replied 3 years, 7 months ago 1 Member · 0 Replies
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