See the screenshot on the left. I’ve checked into this multiple times. These are the SAME bins (a lab I’ve previously worked with used to order through the healthcare vendor) and they are 2.5x more expensive. That hospital promptly started ordering through a new Grainger account that I recommended. New hospitals I work with always end up ordering through Grainger.

My point isn’t that I saved the hospitals some money. The money DOES add up when you buy hundreds of bins for organizing supplies throughout a hospital. My point is that it’s sad that vendors and distributors apparently see large dollar signs when they look at hospitals. I don’t know what’s worse, the fact that hospitals get charged these prices or that hospitals PAY these prices. Why does the vendor charge $13? Because they can.

A topic I often beat into the ground is that the market sets the price. To have a price, you need a seller and a buyer. I guess, ultimately, we have to say shame on hospital purchasing departments for not being more savvy. I’ve often recommended to lean manufacturing folks that they should move into healthcare and try to help fix things here. I guess I can extend that invitation to purchasing agents, purchasing managers, and purchasing directors. You don’t even need “lean” experience to come in and drive big savings, I’d guess. Come into healthcare. Please.