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Vendors can also be important learning resources. Indeed, vendors of specialized products being introduced into the perioperative environment have an important role to play in explaining and demonstrating their products. They also educate (or assist in the education) of hospital professionals who will use the product in patient care, reprocess it or maintain it, as well as replenish and store the product.
WHO ARE YOUR VENDORS?
There are a number of different types of vendors selling goods, services and supplies into hospitals. These include the following:
• Manufacturers
• Distributors
• Sales representatives
• Service and repair companies
• Consulting companies (management consulting and or subject matter consultants)
• Engineers
• Technical/clinical specialists.
There are also variations and combinations of these basic vendor types and it can often be confusing for purchasers to understand the specific role of their vendor in the manufacturing, selling, and servicing process. An effective vendor management system will help to clarify these roles. In Ontario, there are many classifications and terms used for the variety of people employed by, working in, or visiting hospitals. Vendors may be classified as ‘visitors’, however, each hospital may have its own classification system.
Organizations may consider categorizing vendors based on the areas within the organization or hospital with which they interact. Examples of vendor categories include:
• Vendors that call on materials management, facilities management, administrative areas, and other non-patient care areas;
• Vendors that call on patient care areas;
• Vendors that are required to interact with clinical staff and/ or surgeons; and,
• Vendors that call on and are required within the perioperative environment.
WORKING WITH VENDORS IN THE PERIOPERATIVE ENVIRONMENT
It is increasingly common to find vendors in the perioperative environment. For this reason, vendor management and any formalized vendor agreements should outline matters such as the adherence to aseptic technique, adherence to protocols surrounding blood borne pathogens and sharps, and compliance with and adherence to patient safety and confidentiality regulations and protocols. (For a sample of vendor
guidelines, please see Example A at the end of this section.)
In many cases, different hospital departments have different vendor management policies. For perioperative departments, the responsibility of vendor management tends to fall to departmental directors and the daily enforcement of these policies to departmental managers. Collaboration between vendors and perioperative management teams in setting parameters for innovation and access would help to ensure that hospitals get the most benefit from new techniques and technologies.
The value and insights that vendors may provide to the perioperative environment should not be
underestimated. Given the nature of their jobs and the positioning of their organizations, vendors and their representatives have access to multiple organizations, clinicians, and practitioners. Additionally, many of
these vendor organizations are aligned with academic medicine’s research and development agenda, have access to clinical trials and resources, and they may have the talent to improve and to expand the development and use of their products.
At a minimum, vendors to your organization’s perioperative environment should be bound by a written agreement or contractual obligation to adhere to your vendor policies and procedures. (See the examples at the end of this section for reference materials and position statements that may inform your organization’s development of perioperative vendor policies.)
DEVELOPING VENDOR MANAGEMENT POLICIES
Vendor management policies, procedures and responsibilities can serve as a universal guide. While these are developed collaboratively by various stakeholders to fulfill a number of requirements, among them is the need to ensure effective and efficient patient care.
The Ontario Broader Public Sector Supply Chain Code of Ethics, shown below, sets out basic overarching principles of conduct for broader public sector organizations and must be easily accessible to suppliers, advisors and other stakeholders.
Ontario Broader Public Sector (BPS) Supply Chain Code of Ethics Goal:To ensure an ethical, professional and accountable BPS supply chain.
I. Personal Integrity and Professionalism
Individuals involved with Supply Chain Activities must act, and be seen to act, with integrity and professionalism. Honesty, care and due diligence must be integral to all Supply Chain Activities within and between BPS
organizations, suppliers and other stakeholders. Respect must be demonstrated for each other and for the environment. Confidential information must be safeguarded. Participants must not engage in any activity that may create, or appear to create, a conflict of interest, such as accepting gifts or favours, providing preferential treatment, or publicly endorsing suppliers or products.
II. Accountability and Transparency
Supply Chain Activities must be open and accountable. In particular, contracting and purchasing activities must be fair, transparent and conducted with a view to obtaining the best value for public money. All participants must ensure that public sector resources are used in a responsible, efficient and effective manner.
III. Compliance and Continuous Improvement
Individuals involved with purchasing or other Supply Chain Activities must comply with this Code of Ethics and the laws of Canada and Ontario. Individuals should continuously work to improve supply chain policies and procedures, to improve their supply chain knowledge and skill levels, and to share leading practices.
DEVELOPING VENDOR CONDUCT POLICIES, CHECKLISTS AND CREDENTIALS
Vendor Conduct Policies:
All hospitals should have vendor conduct policies or protocols. Policies should delineate guidelines for visitation to the hospital and address appropriate activities and interactions between the hospital’s medical facility personnel, allied health professionals and other vendors. These may be enhanced by specific departmental policies.
It is recommended that hospitals establish general operating procedures for all vendor representative visits, as well as the receipt and delivery of products.
Vendor Management Checklist:
A checklist will ensure transparent communication, which can in turn help to manage issues over vendor access. The consistent application of the checklist will reduce redundancy, improve risk management and ensure compliance by the vendor community.
Items typically found in a vendor management checklist include:
• Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) regulations, Freedom of Information regulations, and Bill 122, Broader Public Sector Accountability Act, 2010.
• General Conduct Expectation Introduction within the hospital and the perioperative environment. These include an overall understanding of roles and responsibilities of vendors, practitioners, hospital staff, and various intermediaries including procurement professionals and shared services organization representatives. They can also include:
o Patient privacy guidelines
o Institutional / organizational privacy and confidentiality policies
o Purchasing protocols, including new technology introduction.
• Specific guidelines addressing vendor relations concerning:
o Gifts
o Preferential treatment or benefits to staff, surgeons
o Entertainment
o Samples of goods and services
o Consulting and research activities
o Vendor sponsorship
o Confidentiality of business matters.
• Infection control rules within the hospital should also outline issues of hygiene and attire for vendors. These can include details about the wearing of hair coverings, masks, personal valuables as well as matters such as hand washing protocols, policies on vaccinations and awareness of infectious conditions such as colds, and influenza.
• Information outlining the visible identification vendors must wear. (Vendor credentialing according to their particular access to hospital patients and assets.)
• Information outlining check-in and check-out protocols.
• Information on surgical procedure protocols, which should include:
o Awareness of and adherence to the sterile field.
o Awareness of where to stand while in the surgical suite as well as how to conduct themselves within the surgical suite.
o Protocols on the documentation of vendor presence (on the perioperative or other intra- procedure documentation).
o Appreciation for appropriate behaviour and conversation in the operating room.