[The use of benchmarking to manage the healthcare supply chain: effects on purchasing cost and quality]

Abstract

Objective: Healthcare supply expenses consume a large part of the financial resources allocated to public health. The aim of this study was to analyze the use of a benchmarking process in the management of hospital purchases, as well as its effect on product cost reduction and quality improvement.

Methods: Data were collected through a survey conducted in 29 primary healthcare districts from 2010 to 2011, and through a healthcare database on the prices, quality, delivery time and supplier characteristics of 5373 products.

Results: The use of benchmarking processes reduced or eliminated products with a low quality and high price. These processes increased the quality of products by 10.57% and reduced their purchase price by 28.97%.

Conclusions: The use of benchmarking by healthcare centers can reduce expenditure and allow more efficient management of the healthcare supply chain. It also facilitated the acquisition of products at lower prices and higher quality.

Keywords: Benchmarking; Gestión de la cadena de suministro; Hospital supplies; Proceso de evaluación; Process assessment; Suministros hospitalarios; Supply chain management.