A hospital pioneers reform of its state's procurement code.

In today's changing healthcare marketplace, hospitals across the US are rapidly moving toward developing integrated healthcare delivery networks. In addition, the emergence of managed care and the growing trend toward capitation have compelled hospitals to reduce costs in response to these changes. Moreover, this impetus to provide quality care at reduced cost has affected the purchasing behavior of many hospitals, forcing material managers to pursue innovative procurement methods. This article describes how the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Medical Center, (Charleston, SC) obtained significant savings in purchasing as a result of pioneering legislative reforms in the procurement process.