5 Questions To Ask Your CPT Provider

By Meggan McCarthy

Product and solutions providers to health systems and hospitals often position themselves as partners in their customers’ success. But what differentiates a “partner” from a “vendor?” When evaluating custom procedure trays (CPT) providers, here are five key questions to ask them to help determine whether they truly deserve the “partner” status.

Among hospital purchasing leaders surveyed, 76% said they placed a high priority on supplier reliability, citing this factor as a top value driver for their teams. How do you ensure you are selecting a reliable and knowledgeable CPT provider? Ask for evidence that they have the necessary credentials and track record.

Because CPTs impact and are impacted by a variety of stakeholders in your organization, including clinical, materials management and sterile processing (SP) teams, ask your prospective CPT provider if they have experience and expertise working with all these parties.

If one of these stakeholders requires support – a clinician needs assistance with using an item, the materials management team has a question on a substitute, a SP professional needs a product’s instructions for use (IFU) – you want to know your CPT provider can step in and help.

Also be sure to ask the CPT provider for references from other customers, specifically those that are similar to your healthcare organization in size, procedural scope, case volumes, etc. Don’t ensure your supplies to a company that lacks experience – it could put your procedures and patients at risk.

There is a tremendous difference between a CPT vendor that drops trays at your door and one that partners with your organization to facilitate a  seamless transition, including how they collaborate with different stakeholders to provide education and support.

With 77% of perioperative leaders surveyed saying they are asked to do “more” or “a lot more” work now compared with before the pandemic, and  59% rating their work environment as either “stressful” or “extremely stressful,” it is critical that your CPT provider is dedicated to taking supply  burden off your clinical team, as opposed to adding to it.

A dedicated CPT partner will engage your perioperative team, refining product selections, and building and launching product through conversion and optimization.

If there is an issue with your custom procedure trays, you want to know exactly who to turn to for help. Calling a general customer service number and trying to hunt down the right person with the right answers is the last thing any healthcare team wants when faced with a supply challenge.

Ask your CPT program provider if they will assign a dedicated team of specialists to your healthcare facility. Press them to provide details on this team: who they are, where they are located, and how you can reach them.

A true partner that is committed to your success will be forthcoming with this information. Be wary of those that sidestep the specifics and offer generic answers.

The most important factor to CPT program success isn’t necessarily its performance at launch but rather how it evolves to meet your organization’s changing priorities and goals. A true partner is dedicated to your long-term success and will be there by your side offering expert advice and working collaboratively on improvements.

Ask the CPT provider what services and support they offer to help you optimize your program over time. For example, ongoing CPT reviews help reduce waste and ensure your trays are performing to your expectations while providing healthy savings.

Choose a CPT provider that keeps its finger on the pulse of the industry, with the ability to provide procedural insights from its database and global industry benchmark data to help you optimize your CPT program systemwide.

Any CPT program provider can come into your facility with big promises to transform your procedural supply management, support healthy patient outcomes, and cut costs, but how can you keep them accountable over the long-term?

Ask the CPT provider for concrete ways in which you can measure, track and monitor their progress toward your goals. A true partner will regularly work with you to define and weigh goals based on your changing needs (e.g., SKU optimization, waste elimination, consistent product supply, cost savings, etc.) and adjust their program accordingly.

The most reliable CPT partners will offer quarterly updates to monitor progress via a CPT score card. That way, you can regularly evaluate the benefits of the relationship to assess whether your partner is helping you achieve your goals versus simply increasing their profits.

Supplies play a critical role in cost, quality and outcomes, so don’t trust your custom procedure trays to just anyone. Use these questions as a guide to vet potential CPT providers, ensuring you select a vendor not just out to make a sale but one that is committed to serving as a long-term partner in your clinical, operational and financial success.

Meggan McCarthy is Sr. Director, Kitting & Surgical Services, Owens & Minor