Surgical Supply Cost Reduction through
Surgeon Engagement & Preference Card Optimization
OVERVIEW
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12 Hospitals
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131 Operating Rooms
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$4.6B Operating Revenue (2022)
CHALLENGES
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High clinical variation
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Rising supply costs
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Low contract compliance
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operational efficiency
Allina Health is an integrated not-for-profit healthcare system headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota owning/operating 11 hospitals and co-owning a 12th.
The Abbott Northwestern pilot hospital:
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Runs 36 operating rooms
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130+ surgeons
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Performed more than 20,000 procedures in 2022
DOCSI partnered with Allina’s supply chain leadership in 2023, executing a small-scale implementation of its Mobile Preference Dashboard™
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Targeted cost reduction through surgeon engagement and preference card optimization
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Resulting in over $250,000 of direct expense reduction
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
SURGERIES
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Key driver of financial sustainability
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Surgical preferences & supply utilization patterns contribute or detract from profitability
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Preference cards are often inaccurate
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Communication gaps exist between surgeons, supply chain, & clinical management
INDUSTRY CHALLENGES
OPPORTUNITY
Allina health sought a sustainable strategy to engage surgeons, facilitate reduction in surgical supply waste, and increase supply standardization.
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Digital, intuitive, scalable solution engaging surgeons in reproducible campaigns to reduce variation in surgical supply utilization.
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DOCSI's designed pillars of convenience, curation and actionability provided opportunity to approach complex relationships between surgeons and preference items in a highly efficient and productive manner.
"DOCSI took the stress out of the card optimization. The ease of accessibility on my cellphone and intuitive, logical flow provided card optimization in minutes.
As surgeons, it is our responsibility to be a part of the solution. DOCSI makes the process extremely easy and effective."
Dr. Gene Busel,
Orthopedic Surgeon, Trauma
RESULTS
KEY TAKEAWAYS
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Preference card optimization combined with surgeon engagement represents an effective dual lever synergy to drive maximum surgical supply expense reduction.
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Effective engagement of surgeons is key to scalable, sustainable cost reduction efforts and is achievable with a convenient, curated actionable digital program.
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Alignment of supply chain and clinical stakeholders is essential to successful preference card optimization. Problematic gaps can exist between these groups that risk jeopardizing significant expense reduction.
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Most preference card optimization initiatives lack scalability and sustainability. DOCSI functions as a force multiplier, offering a scalable, sustainable solution to facilitate maximal expense reduction, maintenance of cost containment and iteration upon additional expense reduction opportunities.