Purchased services can comprise 20% or more of a hospital's total operating costs, according to the American Hospital Association. This should necessitate a focus on handling this area as strategically as other categories, including supply chain. Yet many organizations do not have a strategic plan around their purchased services, preferring to treat them reactively as contracts come up, rather than utilizing a wholistic, proactive approach. This session will examine current trends in purchased services and specifically address the question of outsourcing regarding both labor and non-labor areas of your purchased services spend.

Learning Objectives:

1. Assess the current trends having the strongest impact on purchased services for healthcare organizations.
2. Explain why building a proactive, comprehensive plan around purchased services can reduce costs and bring new transparency and control over your purchased services spend.
3. Summarize the pros and cons of outsourcing your purchased services functions for both labor and non-labor spend.