4 Ways to Partner with Surgeons in Your Implant Savings Initiatives

Often, when supply chain leaders discuss cost savings opportunities with surgical teams, their ideas are met with a heavy dose of scepticism, resistance, or even anger. From the surgeon's perspective, with an edict coming down from above, it can be difficult to accept changes from those who have never spent significant time in an operating theatre. For surgeons specialising in surgeries using implantable devices, any initiatives that impact their implant preferences may cause considerable angst.

However, this is not to say that surgeons must always be considered an impediment to your cost savings goals. In fact, surgeons can be the most passionate supporters of your cost savings efforts when a collaborative tone is set from the outset and done so early and often.

1. Involve Surgeons Early and Be Transparent

Kicking off an implant cost-saving initiative without surgeon involvement at the outset risks surgeons inferring many things about the process and potentially tipping off your suppliers. This exposes the lack of stakeholder unity.

In most cases, surgeons just want to understand why the project is necessary for the financial health of the organisation, the potential impacts to them, that fair and accurate prices are being requested, and to have a voice when decisions are being made. The first meeting should cover who is on the team, what the current national and regional benchmarks show, why the cost-saving initiative is paramount for sustained operations, what the potential impacts are on surgeons and their patients, and how the engagement will unfold.

The key message: surgeons are not just welcome to be involved in the project. They are a critical factor in its success.

2. Reducing Suppliers for Cost Reduction May Not Be Necessary

Surgeons have a concern, and rightfully so, that these initiatives will change or eliminate their preferred suppliers, alter their comfort with instrumentation and implants, or impact patient outcomes. This does not need to be a point of contention.

The approach that works is levelling the playing field among suppliers in a way that honours surgeons as decision-makers in patient care. Implants are categorised by type, regardless of material, shape, or other features that do not affect patient outcome. During the Request for Proposal process, the prevailing market price is applied to the categorised implants and constructs, allowing an all-play approach that the surgeon can support. Genesis Savings' approach and technology allow supply chain and finance to achieve the savings they are looking for while also allowing every surgeon to keep their preferred vendors and products.

3. Leverage Data and Analytics to Validate Decisions

For many surgeons, their reluctance to collaborate on these initiatives lies in the concern that decisions will be made by analysing inaccurate data and focusing only on implant cost. The Genesis Savings platform captures data at the point of use in theatre, and properly classifies, categorises, and prices each implant and accessory used. The moment you can produce a photograph of the bill-only sheet in one click, you win surgeons to your side.

Credibility is solidified when you can have technical implant discussions with clinical stakeholders and surgeons without being an expert in the implant design. Genesis's expert staff and categorisation ensure collaborative discussions on cost reduction, spend management, and superior patient care.

4. At Your Service: Clinical Experts, Not Corporate Consultants

For surgeons, theatre-impacting projects being led by corporate executives can give an uneasy feeling, especially when they know those consultants are only there to find savings for a fleeting period of time before moving to the next project. Genesis's team includes professionals who have spent a multitude of hours in theatre. They possess the skills and experience to go toe-to-toe with medical device firms while ensuring that the cadence of the operating theatre is not impacted.

With over $350 million in implant savings delivered for health systems, Genesis Savings' approach not only produces results but also ensures surgeons are aligned with the initiative throughout.