Centralized purchasing (centralized purchasing): centralized purchasing refers to joint purchasing by multiple medical institutions, through which economies of scale and cost reduction can be achieved. Centralized purchasing is usually organized by the medical insurance department or other relevant government agencies to unify the bidding, bargaining, supplier evaluation, etc. in order to obtain better prices and quality products.
Non-Centralized Purchasing (Non-Collective Purchasing): Non-Centralized Purchasing, on the other hand, refers to purchases made by medical institutions alone, without cooperation with other institutions to form a centralized force. Non-centralized purchasing usually involves individual medical institutions making their own purchasing plans, selecting suppliers and negotiating prices.
Difference:
Procurement method: centralized procurement is when multiple institutions **** together to make purchases, while non-centralized procurement is when a single institution makes purchases independently.
Efficiency of scale: centralized purchasing allows for better pricing and terms of supply through purchasing on a large scale, whereas non-centralized purchasing may not be able to obtain the same favorable terms.
Management and coordination: centralized purchasing requires coordination and management by a government agency or a specialized department, while decentralized purchasing requires management and coordination by individual healthcare institutions.
Supplier selection: centralized purchasing usually has a more rigorous supplier evaluation and selection process to ensure supplier quality and service, while decentralized purchasing may not have the same level of vetting and control.
It's important to note that centralized purchasing of medical consumables may bring some benefits to healthcare providers and patients, such as lowering healthcare insurance premiums and improving purchasing efficiency. However, it is also necessary to pay attention to fair competition and transparency in the collective procurement process to avoid improper behavior.