An Amerinet Success Story
Challenge
St. Barnabas was looking to save money – plain and simple. “We are an acute care, community hospital located in the Bronx, New York,” said Kevin Keller, director of purchasing for St. Barnabas. “Just like everyone else in our industry, we are dealing with rapidly increasing costs, demanding regulations and resource issues.”
Solution
An Amerinet member since 2007, St. Barnabas made a conscious effort in 2009 to utilize the highest percentage of Amerinet Choice® products possible in order to save money. “There is great value in the Amerinet Choice contracts and we do not have to sacrifice on quality,” said Keller. “It’s an easy solution that any Amerinet member can implement.” In order for this solution to be successful though, Keller realized he needed the support and cooperation of the clinical staff. “We found that sharing samples with the staff allowed them to physically compare them to existing products while at the same time showing them the cost savings per item,” said Keller. “We utilized our sales representatives to assist us in this endeavor.”
Outcome
Today, St. Barnabas is accessing more than 50% of the available Amerinet Choice contracts – representing 20% savings on St. Barnabas’ annual supply chain spend. And Keller plans to achieve even higher compliance rates in 2010. “Amerinet’s willingness to get involved as well as their breadth of knowledge at all levels is truly remarkable as well as appreciated,” said Keller. “It is definitely easier to accomplish results with a team approach and we find Amerinet to be an excellent team member.”