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A Consortium for Purchase of Blood Products Directed by Physicians
- LOUIS M. ALEDORT, M.D.;
- RICHARD A. LIPTON, M.D.; and
- MARGARET HILGARTNER, M.D.
Abstract
Clotting-factor therapy is a costly part of comprehensive hemophilia treatment. Physicians treating patients with hemophilia in New York formed a consortium for the purchasing and regional distribution of clotting-factor concentrates. Concentrates are centrally purchased based on a bidding formula aimed at obtaining the lowest price for quality product while guaranteeing all suppliers continued involvement in a large market area. The consortium has successfully maintained, and, in instances, lowered prices each year. Estimated regional savings this year are more than $750 000 for an anticipated purchase of approximately 60 000 000 units of clotting-factors VIII and IX. Central distribution has additionally lowered costs to participating hospitals. The consortium is able to provide patients and third-party payers with some of the lowest prices for clotting-factor concentrates in the United States. A physician-directed regional approach to purchasing costly medical products might be applied to other areas of clinical medicine.
- blood banks
- blood coagulation factors
- consortium
- factor VIII
- factor IX
- hemophilia
- hospital shared services
- physicians
- purchasing, hospital
Article and Author Information
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▸From the Mt. Sinai Medical Center, New York; the Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park; and the Cornell University Medical Center, New York, New York.
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Grant support: in part by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD; Health Services Administration grant MCB-360001-04-01; Health and Human Services Grant HL-30567-02; the Regional Comprehensive Hemophilia Diagnostic and Treatment Center; the Margie Boas Fund; the International Hemophilia Training Center of the World Federation of Hemophilia; and the Polly Annenberg Levee Hematology Center, Department of Medicine, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine of the City University of New York, New York, New York.
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▸ Requests for reprints should be addressed to Louis M. Aledort, M.D.; Mt. Sinai Medical Center, Department of Medicine, 1 Gustave L. Levy Place; New York, NY 10029-6574.
- © 1988 American College of Physicians
