What To Look For When Purchasing Critical Care Consumables and Accessories

August 2021

Critical care consumables and accessories may seem like straightforward commodities that can be assessed primarily on price. But well-designed, high-quality products can streamline workflows, improve patient outcomes and provide better value in the longer term. Here’s what you should be discussing with your suppliers. 

Skin markers, light covers, feeding accessories and oxygen masks are high-use products that make a real difference to clinical work and patient care every day. Buying the right products for your organisation from a supplier who understands your needs and, just as importantly, understands how these products influence patient care, is essential. To make sure you get products that will deliver the best outcomes, you’ll need to consider everything from certification and quality to ergonomics and costs.  

Look beyond typical quality standards 

At a minimum, clinical supplies should meet national or international quality standards and specifications. Many suppliers will promise that their products exceed such certifications, but if documentation is missing or answers from your contact seem vague, you should look very carefully into both your supply chain and individual products. The best supplier will be clear and precise on technical specifications and requirements. 

But certification is only one facet of a product’s suitability. In a highly sensitive environment like critical care, it’s important to consider how those items will fit into your hospital or clinic’s processes and what outcomes will result from their use. More capable products can reduce the need for large inventories and make life easier for staff. 

Well-designed products also reduce the chances of errors and facilitate patient care. For example, high-quality enteral feeding connectors are designed to reduce the chances of misconnections between unrelated delivery systems (e.g. vascular, respiratory, and epidural), while well-equipped enteral gastrostomy packs can make feeding changes fast and efficient. 

Take a holistic view of function and value 

It’s important to recognise that short-term solutions may not offer long-term value. Buying basic breathing apparatus may keep costs down, but if an oxygen mask is uncomfortable for the patient, it will disrupt their treatment and result in frequent interruptions for clinical staff, affecting both patient wellbeing and organisational efficiency. 

Any purchasing strategy must consider cost and quality – durable tubes and reliable skin markers from a reputed supplier may come at a higher price point, but will also reduce waste and tighten workflows. A good supplier should be able to advise you of any training requirements and send product samples so that department staff can trial their critical care consumables and accessories. Evaluating their performance for safety, comfort and quality within your specific environment is crucial and getting input from end-users and frontline staff will prove invaluable. 

Deep dive into the details 

Even small differences in products can make a huge difference to their usability. What type of tubing a device uses, or whether oxygen masks fit above or below the chin can affect treatment, while small details such as feathered edges on masks can make the patient experience far more pleasant. When products function as they should, staff don’t need to spend time working around unsatisfactory  products or seeking out replacements but can focus on patient care. Reputable suppliers will carry a wide enough portfolio to offer a real choice to discerning buyers. They will also be able to brief you on the capabilities as well as the pros and cons of the products they recommend. 

Look for a supplier that can go the distance 

You can shop around for the best skin markers, labels and masks on the market, but if the stock isn’t available when you need it, your problems will start to mount. You should ask suppliers about their inventories and any potential dependencies in their supply chain. COVID-19 has exposed many weaknesses in global production and distribution – established companies should be able to offer transparency and insights into their pipelines and respond quickly to orders.  

After care is another key area that can add a lot of value and help you get the most out of your products. Check for suppliers with local support networks and good after-sales support. Your goal is to find a proven supply partner that you can build a productive long-term relationship with. Checking to see if they have an existing portfolio of loyal, long-term customers is a great way to judge their reliability. 

Take a structured approach to sourcing 

Benchmarking prices, and tracking their changes over time, should be a part of the purchase cycle of critical care consumables and accessories. You may find value through locally based suppliers or offshore companies. But whether you’re purchasing anti-fog solution or enteral feeding accessories, you’re buying products that will make a huge difference not just to budgets, but also to patient comfort and outcomes, in-house efficiency and staff well-being.  

A systematic approach to these purchasing decisions might involve consulting medical staff, supply chain professionals and people from other sections of your organisation including waste disposal, infection control and risk management. However you proceed, it’s always good practice to carefully scrutinise your suppliers’ offerings and track their performance once you receive them. 
 

For a versatile, comprehensive portfolio of critical care consumables and accessories, backed by accountability and experienced local after care, get in touch with Thermo Fisher Scientific. Our product specialists will be happy to arrange a sample for you and demonstrate how our products can create value for your patients and your healthcare organisation.