Competitive bidding for interventional cardiology supplies: lessons learned during round 2.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the magnitude of savings and develop concepts for "best strategies" in reducing costs in the purchasing of high-technology, high-cost materials used in coronary interventions and electrophysiologic treatments.


METHODS
Observational experience in competitive bidding for defibrillators, pacemakers, coronary stents, and coronary balloon catheters at a large, midwestern, publicly owned, academic cardiovascular center.


METHODS
Iterative negotiation following a broad request for proposal sent to a diverse group of vending organizations in high-technology areas of cardiology. Product costs and volume usage were assessed before and after the process to estimate annualized cost reduction achieved.


RESULTS
Using a combination of identification of preferred vendors; consignment of supplies; and collaborative consensus among physicians, administration, materials management, purchasing, and vendors, an annualized savings of more than $1.3 million was achieved.


CONCLUSIONS
Aggressive, collaborative, fair, and competitive bidding for high-cost products used for coronary interventions and electrophysiologic treatments leads to substantial cost savings and can promote provider-industry partnerships that further enhance product use, provision, and tracking.
Eagle
Kim A
KA
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, USA. Keagle@umich.edu
Knight
Bradley P
BP
Moscucci
Mauro
M
Strickberger
S A
SA
Duvernoy
Claire S
CS
Pelosi
Frank
F
Werns
Steven W
SW
Eitzman
Daniel T
DT
Morady
Fred
F
Bates
Eric R
ER
D002309:Cardiology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D003164:Competitive Bidding / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004865:Equipment and Supplies, Hospital / Q000191:economics*; D006302:Health Services Research; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D011682:Purchasing, Hospital / Q000191:economics; D014481:United States