PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Release Date: September 18, 2006
For more information contact:
Tom Hughes at 617-943-0303

SMI Releases Management Guidelines for Vendor Access

The Strategic Marketplace Initiative (SMI) has released their Management Guidelines for Vendor Access at the AHRMM 44th Annual Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, Florida. “Industry representatives and provider staff spend unnecessary time and expense trying to manage inconsistent and unpredictable vendor access programs.” said Carl Manley, Vice President of Sentara Health Care and Chairman of the SMI Board of Directors. “The SMI members recognized that the industry could benefit from a standard set of guidelines to assist supply chain participants in the management and implementation of vendor access practices and policies.”

In 2005, an SMI team representing both providers and vendors was assembled to seek collaborative answers to the issue. Based on best practice research, multidisciplinary input, and feedback from industry groups, the SMI guidelines provide both concrete recommendations and a checklist tool that will be useful to supply chain professionals who are developing or revising policies for their organization. The guideline’s recommendations include:

• Appointing a vendor access program administrator
• Establishing two classes of vendor representatives
• Requiring documentation of vendor qualifications
• Communicating conflict of interest potentials
• Establishing OR vendor access policies

Pam Scagliarini, Vice President at Yale New-Haven Health System, and SMI Team Co-Leader, said the Team’s early research showed that “The healthcare industry representative, by virtue of their training, education, knowledge, and expertise, frequently serves as a valuable resource to industry professionals at multiple provider organizations. Representatives foster communication with the sharing of product information while providing training and education for many healthcare professionals.” said Scagliarini.

Bill Donato, Vice President of Ethicon Inc., another SMI Team Co-Leader, explained “SMI members have already begun to utilize the guidelines to support the development or update of their organization’s guidelines.”

The written guidelines were distributed on compact disk to attendees of an AHRMM Conference educational session presented by SMI leaders. The document is also now available for download at the SMI web site: www.smisupplychain.com

About SMI:

The Strategic Marketplace Initiative (SMI) is a not-for-profit organization comprised of senior-level executives representing diverse disciplines from the healthcare supply chain. Membership includes executives from the country’s largest integrated delivery networks (IDNs) and academic medical centers as well as medical device, diagnostic and pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors and other key suppliers and service companies. SMI members have joined together to educate, drive operational efficiencies, and implement process improvements to the healthcare supply chain.

SMI was formed to provide a venue where collaborative teams could work together to address industry issues and implement best practices, shaping the future of the healthcare supply chain value stream through improved operational efficiencies. Additionally, SMI was formed to act as a change agent for healthcare and to introduce non-healthcare related best practices and technologies to the healthcare supply chain. SMI provides critical mass representing key industry stakeholders and decision makers within the healthcare supply chain, interacting and sharing best practices. Through collaboration, tools and techniques are developed and shared that members are able to take back to their organizations and customize to meet their unique needs. SMI is dedicated to improving the supply chain and to that end- all findings, improvements, processes, and established best practices are shared with the entire healthcare marketplace.

SMI staff include Thomas A. Hughes, Executive Director of SMI. Tom is responsible for the overall operations of the organization, moderation of bi-annual Forums, and oversight of industry initiatives. Teri Gallagher serves as Administrative Director for SMI, responsible for the ongoing operations of the organization including functions relating to membership, financials, coordination of Forums, ongoing communications and office administration. Dennis P. Orthman is Initiative Project Manager for SMI, responsible for the ongoing support and coordination of SMI member-led initiatives, including research, analysis, and coordination of team activities.

Visit SMI’s web site at www.smisupplychain.com for more information.