New equipment formulary aims to provide costs savings, efficiencies to YNHHS over time

Unsure which wheelchairs or office chairs to buy? Don’t know whom to call to order new surgical or imaging equipment? Yale New Haven Health’s new equipment formulary aims to take the “I don’t know” out of “Where do I go?” to find the things you need to purchase.

Built by Corporate Supply Chain and launched Oct. 18, the equipment formulary is the go-to resource for ordering vetted and approved materials and equipment from YNHHS’ contracted vendors, based on clinical, organizational and contractual needs. All YNHHS employees will have access to the formulary.

Corporate Supply Chain is working with departments across the health system to identify preferred and standard suppliers in key equipment categories to add to the formulary. 

“This will be an incremental process, with items being added on a rolling basis,” said Jim Fusco, strategic sourcing manager, Corporate Supply Chain. “We’re starting with items that we’re currently under contract to purchase. In the future, the formulary will include items as they are vetted and approved by departments and leaders.” 

As items are added to formulary, YNHHS will see numerous benefits over time, said Fusco. These benefits include:

Consistency within YNHHS’ Care Signature

The Care Signature is a recognizable stamp that ensures that wherever patients go in the health system, they will receive YNHHS’ best standard of practice. The new equipment formulary will help YNHHS continue standardizing clinical and non-clinical supplies and equipment to reinforce the Care Signature. 

Cost savings

Having a one-stop shop for equipment orders helps control costs throughout the health system. 

“The vendors we work with typically offer a rate specifically for YNHHS,” Fusco said. “We attempt to negotiate at least a 10 percent savings on each contract, so you can imagine the value we get out of our contracting efforts when we spend hundreds of millions of dollars on supplies every year.”

Ease of ordering

In the formulary, product information, pictures and technical specifications are available for review before ordering, along with vendor contact information to request price quotes and ask product questions.

YNHHS has complete control over what goes into the formulary and can adjust products and suppliers as needed. Future enhancements include integration with StrataJazz, YNHHS’ capital budgeting and requisition tool. This will allow YNHHS employees to more efficiently request quotes in the formulary and submit them for approval.

Employees ordering equipment are encouraged to first check the formulary to see if a standard has been established and posted before looking elsewhere for information. Visit the formulary (in network only) and use your network login credentials. 

For more information, including how to request an addition to the formulary, read the FAQs (in network only) or contact [email protected].