How Hospitals Can Reduce Surgical Consumables Costs Without Compromising Safety

Surgical consumable constitutes a huge percentage of operating costs of a hospital. Surgical gloves, gowns, drapes, sutures, syringes, catheters and sterilization products are consumed in large quantities on a daily basis. With the current increase in healthcare costs, a number of hospitals are being pressured to make sure they spend without compromising on patient care.
Nevertheless, safety should not be sacrificed in the process of cost reduction. Poor quality of consumables, lack of consistency, or improper planning of purchase may lead to a higher risk of infection, surgical complications, and operational delays.
It is not just about spending less, but smarter. Hospitals can save a considerable amount of money on the cost of surgical consumables by enhancing procurement, optimizing inventory, and collaborating with trusted suppliers without compromising on the quality of care.

Standardize Consumables Between Departments.

Standardizing the consumables used in various departments is one of the best options for reducing costs.

Surgeons or departments of many hospitals can have more than one brand or variation of the same product. This causes needless complexity, higher inventory levels, and in most cases, higher purchasing expenses.

By identifying a limited number of approved products that meet clinical requirements, hospitals can:

• Simplify procurement
• Reduce inventory levels
• Improve staff familiarity
• Get superior prices by buying in bulk.

The standardization must never be done without consultation with the surgeons and clinical teams so as not to influence patient outcomes.

Improve Inventory Management

One of the major reasons why unnecessary expenditure on the surgical consumables occurs is poor inventory control.

Some of the problems that are common in hospitals include:

• Overstocks on the products that are seldom utilized.
• Shortage of basic supplies.
• Wastes caused by expired items.
• Duplicate orders

A good inventory management program can be introduced to assist hospitals to monitor the usage patterns and maintain an optimal inventory.

Regular monitoring should be done in hospitals in regards to:

• What are the most regularly used products?
• The rate of product consumption.
• What are the items that are near expiry?

Demand fluctuates on a seasonal or procedure basis. Digital inventory systems may also help to enhance accuracy and decrease waste.

Buy in Large Quantity of Items that are used frequently.

Some surgical consumables are used in very high numbers e.g. gloves, masks, syringes and drapes.

In such high volume items, the bulk buying option can lower the unit cost by a large margin.

Hospitals that make bigger purchases can negotiate:

• Lower pricing
• Better payment terms
• Reduced delivery charges

Bulk purchasing must however only be done on items whose demand is consistent and have sufficient shelf life. Purchasing large amounts without effective planning can cause a problem of storage and wastage.

Prioritize Long-Term Value Over Initial Unit Price.

One of the most common errors in the procurement of hospitals is that they choose suppliers based on the lowest price.

Low cost consumables can seem to save money at first but in the long run they can cause more expenditure in case of poor quality.

The result of poor products can be:

• Failure of the product in surgery.
• Increased infection risk
• More frequent replacements
• Delays in procedures

Instead of focusing on the individual parts of a product, hospitals should consider the overall value of a product which includes:

• Quality and reliability
• Adherence to safety standards.
• Product performance
• Supplier service and delivery reliability.

In most instances, a product of slightly better quality would save general expenditures by enhancing efficiency and waste minimization.

Develop a good relationship with dependable suppliers.

A reliable provider will enable hospitals to manage expenditures in the long run.

The suppliers who are aware of the needs of the hospital can usually offer:

• Lower long-term contract rates.
• Regular supply of products.
• Support during emergencies
• Suggestions on less expensive alternatives.

The time and administrative resources required to re-contract new vendors are also minimized through long-term partnerships.

The hospitals must collaborate with suppliers who are open, receptive and capable of offering steady quality.

Minimise Wastage in the Operating Room.

There is a high level of waste of surgical consumables within the operating room.

Products can be opened when it is not even necessary, ready in advance, or even thrown away after the operations.

Hospitals can reduce this wastage by:

• Checking surgical kits on a regular basis.
• Putting only basic things in procedure packs.
• Sensitizing personnel on how to use consumables.
• Monitoring waste patterns

As an illustration, it may not be necessary to have some items on every surgical kit when they are seldom used in a particular procedure.

Even minor modifications in the work of the operating room can result in substantial savings in the long run.

Make Procurement Decisions with Data.

Cost control is more possible in hospitals that utilize procurement data.

Through purchasing trends, hospitals are able to determine:

• What are products which are not necessary?
• What are the most consumable departments?
• Who are the suppliers with the best value?

Contract negotiation, demand forecast, and efficiency are easier to make with data-driven decisions.

Final Thoughts

Patient safety and quality of care are not compromised in order to reduce the cost of surgical consumables. Some of the ways that hospitals can reduce costs include better management of their inventories, product standardization, decreasing waste, and having a reliable supplier.

The best cost saving plans are those that are long-term value oriented and not short term savings. By selecting quality-guaranteed products and making an effective procurement, hospitals can provide better patient outcomes and financial performance.

At Amaryllis Healthcare, we know the issues at hospitals regarding the tradeoff between cost and quality. We intend to help healthcare providers deliver safe and efficient patient care by supplying them with reliable surgical products, consistent supplies, and value-based solutions.