When hospital and healthcare supply chain organizations hear the word “conversion”, they often times want to head for the hills. As if they don’t have enough on their plate from multiple, daily new product requests, product and contract conversions can add stress and lengthy new projects to their already hectic schedules.
Knowing that value analysis is more than just finding cheap supplies, Caresfield has developed an easy roadmap for identification and label conversion. This category often crosses over multiple departments and facilities within health systems. It is typically difficult to coordinate a system-wide conversion for a product category. The Caresfield process allows you to easily manage such a wide conversion scope.
We apply over 30 years of experience in label and identification products conversions with an understanding of shifting market dynamics to provide a series of solutions to achieve fast and accurate label conversions. Through years and years of trial and error, the conversion plan that has converted our members to our products the quickest, most seamlessly is a plan that takes on average 3 weeks from start to finish. Traditionally, the conversion process took anywhere from 12 weeks to 6 months in the past! With the importance of patient care in mind, we developed a six-step process that keeps label and identification product conversions headache-free.
When we review the list of items healthcare organizations use in this specific category, it can include hundreds, if not thousands of products. It is important to identify the critical, key items such as printer labels and identification bands you rely on, including:
- Patient identification wristbands and companion chart labels during patient admissions
- Lab labels used to label specimens for diagnostic results
- Pharmacy labels for therapies and medications
- Nursing labels for bedside care
Caresfield identifies these items as “Phase 1” conversion items. They are critical to patient care and the continuum of care relies heavily upon such items. We identify other, less frequently used items (such as anesthesia tapes, alert labels and stickers, nursing printed labels, custom labels, etc.) as “Phase 2.” We can address these items quickly on an as-needed basis.
Here are some tips to guide the easiest, smoothest and cleanest conversion possible.
Tip 1: Coordinate a time to meet with key decision makers and/or end-users for a kick-off meeting.
SalesForce’s “State of the Connected Customer” reports several key statistics as it relates to customer support. The report mentions that 80% of customers say that the experience provided is just as important as its products or services1. Organizations value having on-site or virtual dedicated support. That may result in moving the product up the list for scheduled product conversions. Make sure you speak with your rep so we can gather all the relevant information. After that, your rep will advise the conversion approach that makes the most sense for your organization. From there, we offer three options for a painless conversion:
- Mail-In Conversion Kit: We send you a conversion kit for every department. It includes prepaid return packaging, sample collection envelopes and a simple form to identify product specifications required to complete the conversion.
- Online Conversion Form: Identify the appropriate ID product specifications and upload images of each item through a secure portal.
- On-Site Visit: Pending travel restrictions, a representative visits your facility. They collects samples and look for ways to make the conversion process as easy as possible for you.
You can complete the Caresfield conversion form physically or digitally. It is vital for us to understand the the intended product application. This helps ensure 100% satisfaction with the adhesive, core size, material, configuration and wind direction of your items. Once we receive your sample information, it goes directly to our Product Management Team for a speedy cross-reference. This specially-trained team is up-to-date on the most common healthcare printer models, label configurations, label requirements and materials.
Is your facility ready to order a mail-in conversion kit, complete an online cross-reference, or request an on-site visit?
Tip 2: Generate a cross-reference report to help map out the process and cost of ID band and label conversion.
The AHRMM developed the CQO (Cost, Quality, Outcomes) Movement as a recommended guideline for healthcare organizations. The report addresses the ever-changing economy and cost pressures hospitals and healthcare organizations face. The CQO Movement assists these organizations in understanding the impact of cost reductions while still focusing on improved overall outcomes without sacrificing the quality of care patients receive2. It is important for all suppliers to strategically align their products with the CQO Movement. This helps healthcare organizations to truly understand the financial and clinical value proposition of their products. To contribute to the cost reduction piece of the CQO Movement, Caresfield strives to provide a cost analysis or assist in generating this analysis for conversion.
Once you collect key, high-volume items from super-user departments, Caresfield streamlines the conversion process by cross-referencing current items with a drop-in replacement match. You submit a report, typically in the form of a spreadsheet, with the current vendor item and description. We will provide a match for each item. When you set up the items in your enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, you have all the information. This makes product conversion mapping simple. You can compare the current vendor’s price compared to the new vendor’s pricing to determine the cost of the conversion. This is a critical, key piece to making progress. Label conversions cannot move forward until you understand the financial impact to the organization.
Tip 3: Generate, deliver and review easy-to-read proposals to streamline product conversions.
When undergoing a product category conversion, it is important to deliver a clear, concise proposal so key decision makers have accurate and reliable information. Decision makers would much rather work with organized and detailed supplier partners rather than individuals that deliver messy proposals in unclear formats. Providing a company-branded proposal, complete with product images, streamlines information. If the value analysis team needs to approve the conversion, you can easily share the data.
In our process, we aim to deliver a comprehensive, branded proposal for the “Phase 1” items within 14 days. This means we address high-volume, top priority items first. Often Value Analysis teams meet monthly. Our quick turnaround times makes sure the team addresses your products at the next team meeting. The more prompt we can be for our customers, the more it can help to make our products a higher priority on their conversion list. It is also equally important to take the time to review the proposal with decision makers to ensure that they have everything they could possibly need to move the conversion forward and to clarify any of their questions.
Tip 4: Provide cost-free sample testing to ensure products perform seamlessly and meet specifications.
According to an online study on product sampling, statistics show that “73% of consumers said they were likely to buy a product after trying it.”3 There is no denying that products will stay fresh in the end-user’s or even buyer’s mind as long as they had a positive experience from sampling your product. Also, providing samples creates brand awareness throughout the organization! With today’s concerns of medical supplies shortages and stresses on the healthcare system, even if an organization cannot move forward with a conversion at the moment, when they are in a time of need, they will reach out based on the type of support and turnaround times you provided.
Once we cross-reference “Phase 1” items, Caresfield sends out samples of printer label and wristband products. You can test the products to ensure they operate seamlessly with your current printer hardware. If your key end-users can’t properly test or validate products, especially with key end-users, the conversion process can’t move forward. Value Analysis team members often require sign-off on products by key users to complete conversions. This also verifies that an accurate 1-to-1 match was provided during the cross-reference process.
Tip 5: Proactively help your customer set up an account to streamline the ordering process.
After evaluations are complete, it is smooth sailing to the finish line. Once a product has been vetted, tested and approved, the next logical step is to ensure the product is set up in ERP system. Make sure you map the new product as a replacement for all future orders. Equally important, is setting up the organization’s ordering account in the vendor’s system. It is important to understand how the organization prefers to place all future orders and to have them set up on those appropriate platforms whether it be online ordering, EDI, etc.
At Caresfield, we have a dedicated customer service team that creates Caresfield-specific accounts. First we notify your organization that the account is ready. Then your users can easily request access to order through our online store. When you place an order for in-stock items, it ships within 24 hours. Providing that additional communication and peace of mind is important as transparency builds trust.
Tip 6: Always provide best-in-class customer service and support.
Organizations prefer to work with vendors they know and trust. Providing above-and-beyond virtual or on-site support and product training means the world to organizations that are facing cost pressures and are operating as lean as possible. As organizations implement new products and processes, it’s important to be available to support them as a vendor through any of these environmental, operational and industry changes.
Caresfield is proud of the customer service and support we offer to our customers. No customer is too big or too small. With our headache-free conversion process in place, we can focus on the most meaningful products (“Phase 1”) within our product category first, and then provide additional cross-referencing needed for remaining items as they become needed. We are ready to assist in any way. We want to take the burden off of supply chain professionals and support you throughout the process.
In summary, being attentive to the hospital or healthcare organization’s product conversion process is key in a successful product conversion. Being able to correlate your products to the CQO Movement, while providing best-in-class support builds up your trust in us as a vendor. Vendors that are able to accomplish this, stay relevant in a time of so much change.
Author: Kacie Hilliard (Director of Outside Sales)
Sources / References:
3https://factory360.com/the-benefits-of-product-sampling-why-you-should-do-it/
