A mutually beneficial supply partnership at Columbia Hospital for Women Medical Center.

Columbia Hospital's variation of the JIT system to support its repetitive-type surgical procedures performed by the L&D and OR departments has proven to be the right system for this specialty care hospital to ensure that the right product at the right price is available at the right place and time. This system established by the cooperative efforts of the three partners involved (the hospital, manufacturer, and distributor) has been a win-win system for all. The manufacturer and distributor receive a profitable return for their products and services, and the hospital receives reimbursement for the products it utilizes to provide quality care to its ultimate customer, the patient. Columbia's supply flow system, as described herein, is a creative example of the many variations of the stockless or JIT supply systems being established in the world of hospital materiel management today.