Successful purchasing of medical supplies involves balancing cost, quality and quantity. It is easy to make a mess of it.
Errors made by purchasing agents:
(1) focusing on cost only
(2) having no knowledge of the product or its use
(3) changing orders and not informing the user
(4) not validating decisions and avoiding feedback from users
(5) having no accountability
Errors made by clinicians:
(1) being unduly influenced by salespeople
(2) making decision based on impulse rather than evidence
(3) providing privileged information to a vendor
