out delivering quality. Many ASCs were so desperate to get the supplies they needed that they signed on the dotted line only to find out that the product they purchased was substan- dard or it never arrived at all.” Product quality. consequently, has now become a significant concern.
As has price, Bartha adds. “Before the pandemic, items were generally affordable. We are now seeing a tre- mendous amount of price gouging. We are not only looking for suppliers with stock but also those willing to charge a fair price.”
On top of the pandemic, Eich says, the supply chain is experiencing disrup- tions that are pushing ASCs to reevalu- ate how they approach purchasing. “We have been dealing with shipping delays due to tariffs and customs issues for some time. Tariffs on a lot of Chinese products increased costs and delayed receiving shipments. The pandemic only further pinched the supply chain.” Quality concerns have Carlson
more skeptical about purchasing products made overseas. “They are outside of our perceived boundaries. This makes it more difficult to check manufacturing spaces to help ensure companies are adhering to strict pro- tocols for sterility and safety. This is placing an increased focus on the need for companies to manufacture at least some of their products in the United States.” The experiences of 2020 are likely
to cause ASCs to be more suspect of an unfamiliar company, Eich says. “Where are your headquarters? How big are you? Can I rely on you to pro- vide enough products so I can keep my doors open? Those are just some of the questions that may not have been asked by ASCs prior to the pandemic.” However, some vendors not typi-
cally associated with the ASC supply chain appear to be making inroads. Bartha says her ASC has ordered sup- plies from Amazon, Office Max and other large retailers. “We are increas-
ingly looking beyond what one might think of as traditional channels.” As Amazon has taken steps to enter the healthcare market, group purchas- ing organizations (GPOs) and distrib- utors are watching closely, Eich says. Amazon has global distribution net- works and international relationships already established. “While these are not necessarily healthcare related, having them in place and understand- ing how that all works gives Amazon an advantage over another company starting from ground zero. In addition, Amazon has deep pockets. They can hit the market being competitive and take whatever time they need to grow and turn profitable.”
Amazon has another advantage
over essentially every company, Eich says: Its website. “We have employ- ees who say they know nothing about
computers and yet they are mas- ter Amazon shoppers. The websites of some GPOs and distributors are clunky. I expect that website features like shopping carts, drag and drop and the ability to interface with a procure- ment tool will increasingly drive sup- ply chain efficiencies.”
Working with Your Suppliers The supply chain challenges fac- ing Endoscopy Center of Niagara are motivating Bartha to expand her list of suppliers. “You cannot put all of your eggs in a few baskets. With that said, I also communicate to our suppliers that if they can provide us with supplies at a fair price, I will not jump ship.” Now is the time, Carlson says, for ASCs to build new supplier relation- ships and strengthen existing relation-
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