GGH is a leader when it comes to saving money by using “strength in numbers”
GGH utilizes group-purchaser, Medbuy/Mohawk, more than any other hospital in Ontario
Guelph General Hospital (GGH) is a dynamic, acute care facility providing a wide range of services to the 200,000 residents of Guelph and Wellington Country. Each service has unique supply needs while the organization as a whole consumes a wide variety of products as it fulfills its mission to provide the highest quality care and experience to patients and their families. From bandages to million-dollar scanners, to paper and pens and service contracts, there are literally thousands of inputs needed.
Those inputs add up to a lot but the Hospital’s buying team is committed to negotiating the best value with every purchase and contract. That way, the Hospital can maximize the part of its budget devoted to direct patient care.
Often it comes to being tough negotiators and taking advantage of bulk purchasing, says Jeff Carter, GGH’s Director of Materials Management and Purchasing. He describes his team as “a small, but high performing group of people committed to the organization and supporting exceptional patient care through cost savings and contract enhancements.”
The team uses multiple strategies for negotiating the best price. One that has significant impact is participating in group buying initiatives when possible. There’s strength in numbers when it comes to getting the best deal. Not only does the Hospital participate in healthcare-specific buying groups, it isn’t afraid to look beyond that for other cost savings opportunities. For example, the Hospital participates in the Ontario Education Collaborative Marketplace to purchase things like photocopiers and IT hardware and software solutions.
In fact, our Hospital’s procurement team is so good at leveraging group buying, that it is a leader in utilizing Mohawk/Medbuy procurement services. Mohawk/Medbuy is a national not-for-profit shared service organization that specializes in health care procurement. GGH ranks in the top 3% of all the hospitals that Mohawk/Medbuy supports. Over 90% of all GGH’s medical/surgical and pharmaceutical spending is done through these collective contracts.
Guelph General Hospital is committed to building a strong, financial foundation for the future. Part of achieving that goal is to create value by maximizing efficiency, eliminating waste and duplication and reducing the cost-per-case while maintaining high quality care and experience for patients and their families.
Alyssa Hoag, Lucy Wojcik, Shelly Hutcheson, Cameron McWade of GGH’s Purchasing Team (missing from the picture Teige McCombs, Simon Wantenaar, Jeff Carter).
