Scaling TCO-Based Rollator Procurement Across Hospital Systems
For large healthcare systems managing multiple hospitals and facilities, achieving consistency in procurement is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. When it comes to high-use items like rollators, small variations in purchasing strategy can lead to significant differences in long-term cost and clinical impact.
Adopting a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) framework across all locations allows hospital networks to control budgets, standardize product performance, and negotiate stronger vendor terms. This article offers a step-by-step guide with real-world context to help you implement a TCO-driven procurement model at scale.
Centralize Procurement Policy Across Sites
The first step is building a unified purchasing framework. At HealthGroup Europe, a hospital system with 12 facilities across three countries, leadership created a system-wide Mobility Equipment Procurement Policy. It included:
A shared TCO evaluation matrix (factoring cost, reliability, patient usability)
Standard KPIs for lifecycle tracking
A 5-year replacement schedule based on wear and service history
Instead of each site defining "value" differently, everyone operated under the same definition, enabling clean comparisons and better oversight.
Roll Out Standard Training and Templates
Consistency starts with shared language. HealthGroup’s procurement team developed:
Uniform RFP templates tailored for rollators
Cost tracking spreadsheets preloaded with category-specific benchmarks
Evaluation scorecards for bid comparison
Training workshops were rolled out across all 12 hospitals via Zoom and on-site sessions. Procurement leads in each facility were taught how to calculate TCO for mobility aids and how to compare vendors using non-price metrics like downtime, service response, and clinician satisfaction.
Case Example: One rural hospital in the group had historically chosen the cheapest available rollator, which frequently broke down and lacked parts support. After TCO training, they switched to a mid-range model with higher reliability, and their repair requests dropped by 70% within a year.
Monitor System-Wide Spend and ROI
Centralized analytics are the engine of a scalable TCO program. Using their internal BI platform, HealthGroup compiled real-time dashboards showing:
Total spend by facility and rollator type
Breakdown of maintenance events by brand
Correlation between device reliability and patient satisfaction scores
This data enabled leadership to identify outliers. One urban hospital had 3x more repair calls than its peers—due to an outdated vendor contract. With this insight, they renegotiated and standardized equipment models.
Coordinate Vendor Framework Agreements
TCO data is powerful leverage at the negotiating table. Armed with usage and ROI insights, HealthGroup signed multi-site vendor contracts that included:
Volume pricing based on total network demand
Uniform SLAs for repair and part delivery across locations
Shared KPIs around delivery time, uptime, and satisfaction
This shifted the dynamic—vendors were no longer dealing with individual hospitals, but with a unified system, making compliance and accountability easier to enforce.
Refine the Model Through Quarterly Governance
Sustainability requires ongoing governance. HealthGroup instituted quarterly TCO governance reviews, where procurement, clinical staff, finance, and logistics leads came together (virtually or in-person) to:
Review usage trends and maintenance costs
Share feedback from staff and patients
Re-evaluate KPIs and make updates to the TCO matrix
Flag potential model upgrades or policy gaps
In one such review, frontline staff requested better maneuverability for rollators used in pediatric wards. This led to the introduction of a new sub-category with more ergonomic designs—rolled out system-wide within two months.
Conclusion: TCO at Scale Enables Smarter Healthcare
When TCO principles are applied across multiple sites, hospital systems don’t just save money—they create a culture of data-driven purchasing. Procurement becomes proactive, not reactive. Vendor relationships evolve into strategic partnerships.
By using evidence-based models, consistent metrics, and shared accountability, healthcare systems can:
Improve cost predictability
Enhance patient and clinician experience
Make smarter decisions about what to buy—and when to replace
As one procurement director at HealthGroup summarized:
“TCO has become our common language for value. No more guesswork—just better decisions.”
For more guidance and tools, visit:
👉 www.relaxsmithrollator.com
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For more details, please visit： www.relaxsmithrollator.com
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