Earlier this week, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette featured an interesting article about UPMC implementing a new stance on how their physicians can deal with suppliers. Basically, UPMC is taking a hard look at the influence (or perceived influence) there is on doctors who accept consulting engagements, samples, gifts, and the like from medical suppliers.<\/p>\n
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So, you say: \u201cWhat\u2019s the big deal? Implement a conflict of interest policy. This is basic purchasing 101.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yes. And no.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve worked in purchasing for a medical university. I\u2019ve done on-site purchasing training in a hospital. And I know many people who work in purchasing in the health care industry.<\/p>\n
One of the biggest challenges in healthcare purchasing is getting physicians to change buying habits. They play the \u201cbut this affects the quality of patient care!\u201d card so knee-jerkishly (do they teach that in med school?).<\/p>\n
And, politically, physicians are strong in their organizations. Even stronger than airline engineers that play the \u201cbut this affects aircraft safety!\u201d card.<\/p>\n
So it is interesting to see UPMC making some headway on the issue. Specifically, the article says that UPMC physicians:<\/p>\n
This new conflict of interest policy is obviously driven from the top, which it must be to have any chance of success. I personally like it because, if it works out, it will help other healthcare supply chain organizations demonstrate that it is reasonable to have such a policy in place.<\/p>\n
Anything that can help make a healthcare purchaser\u2019s job easier is more than welcome, in my book!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Earlier this week, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette featured an interesting article […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":4128,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2372","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-procurement"],"yoast_head":"\n