New Tool Designed To Help Manage Materials Costs

MECON, Inc. (San Ramon, CA), a provider of healthcare benchmarking data and cost management tools, has announced the release of MECON-Materials Solutions. This product enables healthcare facilities to better manage materials costs by analyzing how clinical products are ordered, stored, dispensed, and charged in departments like surgical services, pharmacy, and materials management, according to the company.

The MECON-Materials Solutions product is said to help hospitals reduce materials supply expenses and gain better control over supply consumption. MECON-Materials Solutions enable hospitals to reduce supply expenses through improved inventory management, selection and purchase of materials, standardization, product appropriateness, inventory control, and supply distribution, according to the firm.

The product includes comparative benchmark information on materials as well as consultant services, according to Eleanor Anderson-Miles, director of corporate communications at the firm, who spoke with hospitalnetwork.com. One major benefit of the product for purchasers, she said, involves the successful management of disposables: getting the right price, determining the right disposable, and moving it through the organization as needed by the patient.

"Materials and supplies consumption accounts for approximately 20% of a hospital's expenses, and represents a cost reduction opportunity that is among the most easily and quickly implemented in the healthcare environment," said Jeffrey Parkinson, senior vice president, Advisory Services of MECON, in a company statement.

MECON's family of benchmarking data, software products, and advisory services address both clinical and operational arenas. The company's customers are said to use the MECON suite of products and services to quantify, develop, and implement strategies to reduce costs and improve quality across the continuum of care.