At the Becker's ASC 21st Annual Meeting on Oct. 24 in Chicago, guest speakers William Darrel Weatherford, vice president of AdvantageTrust, and Mary Starr, assistant vice president of AdvantageTrust, explained how group purchasing organizations can drive cost savings for ASCs.
Reducing staff or using cheaper products to drive savings can cause quality to suffer, but working with a GPO is a great strategy for ASCs to save, says Mr. Weatherford. GPOs act as a liaison between participating health organizations and suppliers to negotiate savings based on a high volume of sales. However, GPO selection is critical, according to Mr. Weatherford.
"This causes some people a little bit of angst," he says. Look for a GPO with a committed nature, competitive, firm pricing, a comprehensive contract portfolio and excellent customer service, he advises.
Mr. Weatherford and Ms. Starr advise ASCs to select a single GPO to best meet their needs and focus on how to make it the best value. Commitment and compliance drive the best overall value in the marketplace, says Mr. Weatherford. He also advised making the majority of purchases from one supplier.
"Think of a GPO as outsourcing your contracting department," says Ms. Starr. "You want a contracting department that's working for you."
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