How GPO Partnerships Improve Supply Chain Resilience in Healthcare
Healthcare facilities rely heavily on their supply chains to maintain steady operations. Even a short-term supply chain issue can cause problems, and extended purchasing struggles will make it hard for a facility to support workers and care for patients.
These worries can be alleviated in part through the use of group purchasing organizations. With the power of a GPO behind you, acquiring everything that is needed for the facility to run smoothly will be easier and more affordable than ever before. Learn more about the InReach Alliance Network and what it could mean for your business by chatting with our team today.
Navigate a Complex Market
Purchasing the food and drink options you need to help your healthcare employees remain at their best seems like it should be easy. Can’t you just call up the right suppliers, place a few orders, and keep things stocked?
Unfortunately, it rarely works out quite that way. More often, issues with product availability, pricing, and vendor relationships hinder smooth and efficient purchasing. This is especially true when you are acting as a single buyer without much scale behind your orders. Modest one-off orders won’t necessarily be a priority for suppliers, so you may not get the attention or responsiveness that you deserve.
Everything about this picture can be flipped around when you work with a group buying organization. Suddenly, you’ll be seen as a bigger player, and the terms and product availability you have access to will improve dramatically.
Control Costs Effectively
Pricing isn’t the only advantage of group buying, but it sure is a big part of the picture. Keeping costs down is essential for controlling margins in your healthcare facility. It’s notoriously expensive to operate any type of healthcare building, so trimming down your food and beverage costs without sacrificing quality is a great step in the right direction.
You are likely to be offered lower upfront prices when you purchase through a GPO. Additionally, you may qualify for rewards and other discounts, which will effectively bring your costs down even further. With stable, affordable pricing in place on all of the products you need to restock regularly, this part of your budget will no longer be a source of ongoing stress and frustration.
Access a Diverse Set of Suppliers
Sometimes, supply chain problems can arise from an issue as simple as not having access to the right suppliers. This is a frustrating issue to encounter. After all, you know the right products are out there to take care of your people, but you can’t get to them because of buying limitations that may tie back to the size of your business.
Again, the power of a GPO supply chain comes into focus. You’ll quickly expand your reach to include hundreds of outstanding suppliers when you are part of the InReach Alliance Network, for example. That means whatever is on your list to buy, it’s likely to be available immediately and on fair terms.
You Aren’t Alone
What is the impact of group purchasing organizations on healthcare product supply chains? It comes down to strength in numbers. Making purchases for your healthcare facility as a single buyer can feel like an uphill battle. You might not get the terms you want, and you may not even have access to certain products. Through GPO partnerships, like joining the InReach Alliance Network, you can turn things in your direction and open up a whole new world of possibilities.
Proudly part of Sodexo, InReach offers global reach, customized attention, and a large, growing buying network that keeps food costs low and quality high. Contact us today to learn more.