How aligning on user requirements up front saved one hospital more than $800,000
Securing agreement among doctors, nurses, and hospital staff during clinical product selection can be a daunting task. For the leaders responsible for managing the process, the idea of reaching consensus can feel like a unicorn: everybody knows what it looks like, but no one’s ever seen it before. Without that upfront consensus, however, supply chain teams and clinical committees can waste countless hours (and dollars) trying to balance competing requirements and individual opinions. But imagine the relief of knowing that stakeholders are all strategically aligned (bought in) before you even start the supplier evaluation process. It may be easier than you think!
Use Survey Data to Align Decision-makers to Start the Selection Process
Surveys are an easy and inexpensive way to uncover user preferences, requirements, and preconceptions—all before ever engaging suppliers or issuing an RFP. Having upfront buy-in enables a more targeted, efficient, and effective supplier engagement and RFPs. Before engaging sales reps or scheduling demos, conducting a survey of users and committee members can transform opinions into concrete data. That data can then be used to build consensus internally and to significantly streamline the product selection process.
A Simple Survey Saves Time and Money
Recently, a Miga hospital client was upgrading their 30+ operating rooms…and trying to reconcile as many different opinions as there were ORs. At the start of the process, committee leaders sent out a survey asking members what factors were most important to them. The data allowed the team to see that while most users did have opinions, they didn’t have as strong a supplier preference as leaders expected.
With this insight, the team narrowed their initial search and ultimately selected a challenger brand that might have otherwise been excluded from consideration. Not only did this early alignment save the hospital more than $800,000 (28%) from a supplier eager to earn their business, but it also saved them days of costly committee time. It’s proof that unicorns do exist in healthcare—you just need to know how to find them!
Continue Reading this Series
- Part 2: How Consensus Enables Hard-Hitting RFPs: Clinical Product Selection
- Part 3: How Consensus Enables Hard-Hitting RFPs: Negotiate Price & Terms
Miga Solutions provides the most accurate and actionable pricing information, enabling hospitals to lower their medical equipment total cost of ownership (TCO) by 12-16%. Contact us to learn more about how your hospital can save.