The hospital-supplier partnership: take care of the relationship first, and individual rewards will follow.

Partnerships and consolidation will continue to occur with increasing frequency within the supplier and health care provider communities as the health care industry strives to lower costs without diminishing quality and service. This article examines what constitutes the ideal hospital-supplier relationship. It asks the question: What does each partner need to do to make the relationship work effectively? It outlines the keys to a win-win proposition and ways to prevent the relationship from breaking down.