Guernsey Health Systems

POLICY & PROCEDURE
TITLE: Supplier/Vendor Relations
NUMBER: MM-1
ISSUE DATE: 12/01/2019
EFFECTIVE DATE: 01/01/2020
DEVELOPED / REVISED BY: Materials Management
REVIEWED BY: Senior Management

DATE REVIEWED:
07/17/2019
APPROVED BY: Director of Materials Management and Senior Management

SCOPE:

This policy is in effect for all locations of the following Guernsey Health Systems business units:
Southeastern Ohio Regional Medical Center, Superior Med, LLC, United Ambulance.
This policy directly applies to vendors, suppliers, and supplier representatives who provide or desire to provide medical/surgical and general supplies, services, and equipment for patient care and non-patient care purposes.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE:

The Materials Management department has been designated as the point of contact between Guernsey Health Systems and its suppliers. Individual departments may have their own policy & procedure regarding suppliers in their area.
The purpose of this policy is to effectively manage the volume of supplier representative visitations to help ensure staff can effectively manage the amount of time devoted to such visitations such that patient care is not adversely affected. Suppliers, in turn, should support the mission of Guernsey Health Systems, and work to minimize intrusions.

DEFINITIONS:

Supplier: A company who supplies goods, drugs, equipment, or services to Guernsey Health Systems and receives payment from Guernsey Health Systems for these exchanges. Guernsey Health Systems may use these goods, drugs, equipment, or services to provide care for patients or may consume for business operations. To be compliant with various federal and oversight organizations, the suppliers Guernsey Health Systems transacts with must adhere to specific guidelines. May also be referred to as a Vendor or a Supplier Representative.
Potential Supplier: A company not currently engaged by Guernsey Health Systems to supply goods, drugs, equipment, or services that may have an interest in pursuing business opportunities. These companies are not set-up in the Guernsey Health Systems system to transact with and are not being paid by Guernsey Health Systems.

POLICY:

It is the policy of Materials Management to support visitations from Supplier Representatives to designated departments and/or physicians to provide essential services and distribute necessary information.
It is also the policy to control the activities of Supplier Representatives in order to:
Ensure the safe and appropriate use of products, equipment, and services
Maintain patient confidentiality
Avoid the inappropriate distribution of samples
Efficiently utilize the time of the staff who interact with Supplier Representatives.

I. PROCEDURE – Suppliers:

Each facility or department may have specific guidelines or instructions, supplier must comply with the following general instructions when vising any Guernsey Health Systems facility:

1. Suppliers and their representatives are essential resources and guests of Guernsey Health Systems; however, Supplier Representatives must provide his/her services in accordance with accepted rules of conduct and in a manner that will provide the greatest benefit to Guernsey Health Systems.
2. To access clinical areas, all Supplier Representatives must have a scheduled appointment during normal business hours. Exceptions to the schedule must be approved by the department manager.
3. Under no conditions may a Supplier Representative use scheduled appointment time to visit or solicit products or services to any areas other than the scheduled area. Representatives are not permitted to visit any department/facility designated for physicians, nurses or other staff member.
4. The paging system may not be used to contact physicians, pharmacists, nurses or other employees except when Supplier Representative has been requested to make such contact.
5. Supplier registration and on-site access
   • All Guernsey Health Systems Supplier Representatives are required to register with the Guernsey Health Systems supplier registration program at the company level with Vendormate on-site or online at login.ghx.com; selecting “New Supplier Registration?”. This includes all Suppliers, Supplier Representatives, and consultants for services, equipment, or supplies. There is a charge for the supplier registration that is directly between the supplier registration program and the supplier. This charge ranges with the supplier’s risk level but is a nominal cost of doing business.
   • All Supplier Representatives who visit a Guernsey Health Systems facility are required to register at a supplier registration (“Vendormate”) kiosk before proceeding to their appointment. In the case the Supplier Representative’s company has not registered previously, there may be a charge associated with registration. Registration locations can be found on Exhibit 1.
   • While in any Guernsey Health Systems facility for business purposes, all representatives are required to display proper company identification. Proper identification shall include a Guernsey Health Systems one-day badge plus a company identification badge.
   • Upon registration, Supplier Representatives are required to acknowledge certain Guernsey Health Systems policies and document:
     • For any representative designated High tier by Vendormate or who may enter any patient care area, annual flu shot, TB, MMR.
     • For any representative designated Medium or Low tiers by Vendormate and must not enter any patient care areas, annual flu shot.
   • In case of supplier registration kiosk downtime, manual online registration or another manual sign in must occur.
   • Supplier Representatives must comply with all credentialing requirements that are required within the areas they service and that may be amended from time to time.
   • A registration badge is denied if there is a match on government sanction lists; these individuals may not have access to any Guernsey Health Systems facility.
   • If all registration credentials (required policies, immunizations, and acknowledgements) are not present and current, the badge will be marked as “missing documents.” The Supplier
   • Representative will be allowed three visits with the “missing documents” designation and then will be denied access. A Supplier
   • Representative denied access will not be permitted to interact at Guernsey Health Systems until they correct the deficiencies within the registration tool.
   • Once the Supplier Representative is finished with his/her appointment, they are required to check-out. The check-out process can take place at a designated Supplier Registration kiosk or by a connected app.
6. Access to certain locked Guernsey Health Systems facility areas may only be provided to a Supplier Representative after proof of current and active rep supplier registration status and approval by the requesting department. The Supplier Representative will be escorted in by a Guernsey Health Systems associate. Supplier Representatives shall not be provided with keys, an electronic access badge or combination.
7. Patient Privacy
   1. A Supplier Representative may not have any contact with a patient without prior approval of attending or consulting physician, and the Guernsey Health Systems physician or Guernsey Health Systems clinician must be present at all times.
   2. Supplier Representatives will be trained on HIPAA guidelines and requirements by their company and will adhere to all guidelines and requirements.
8. Patient care area access
   • Supplier Representatives may be asked to leave at any time at the discretion of the management team, staff, and/or the physician performing the procedure.
   • The use of cell phones in any surgical suite or patient care areas is strictly prohibited. All nonessential items are to remain outside of the facility.
   • If a supplier representative is granted access to a patient care area where scrubs are required, a red scrub hat provided by the hospital must be worn at all times that scrubs are required.
   • Supplier Representatives are prohibited from making any notations in a patient’s medical chart.
9. Evaluation of equipment or products
   1. Equipment or products will not be purchased without first undergoing an evaluation. Product/equipment and technology is evaluated through Guernsey Health Systems’ Clinical Quality Value Analysis Program.
   2. All new equipment or products must be introduced to the organization through Clinical Quality Value Analysis. To present equipment or products for evaluation, contact Clinical Quality Value Analysis or a Guernsey Health Systems representative to coordinate with Clinical Quality Value Analysis.
   3. All equipment and/or products to be evaluated for use in a patient care area must be approved by the designated review committee prior to the beginning of the evaluation period.
   4. Should any physician or staff member or family member practicing or working at Guernsey Health Systems have any financial or other interest in the equipment, product, and/or service being evaluated, the supplier must disclose the specific relationship to Materials Management and Clinical Quality Value Analysis during the initial request for evaluation.
   5. A purchase order and any applicable payments will not be issued for any sample product or technology for use in an evaluation unless approved by Clinical Quality Value Analysis or other designated review committee prior to evaluation.
   6. All products and equipment must be FDA-approved or have Investigational Review Board (IRB), Investigational New Drug Application (IND), or Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) numbers for clinical use. It is the suppliers responsibility to provide written documentation of approval.
   7. Products unauthorized for use but left by the supplier with a physician or Hospital staff member for patient use is prohibited and supplier will not be compensated.
   8. Equipment: Guernsey Health Systems may not pay for equipment used during an evaluation. This includes, but is not limited to, rental fees, leasing fees, and evaluation fees.
   9. Products: As a general rule, Guernsey Health Systems may not pay for products used during an evaluation. At Guernsey Health Systems’ sole discretion, a purchase order may be issued to pay for disposable items used during an evaluation.

II. PROCEDURE – Materials Management:

1. Materials Management is responsible to ensure that this policy and policies related to supplier activity are made available in the supplier registration tool.
2. Materials Management will act promptly on complaints of supplier non-compliance.
3. Materials Management will review supplier performance measures as outlined in a contract, if applicable.
4. Supplier Diversity
   1. Philosophy: Guernsey Health Systems recognizes the diversity of its people and community. We are committed to identifying opportunities and increasing participation of certified diverse business enterprises (DBEs). Our goal is to establish business relationships with DBEs that positively impact patient care, community relations and social economics in the communities served by Guernsey Health Systems.
   2. Guiding Principles
      • Qualified Diverse Business Enterprises (DBEs) will be identified and included in contracting processes.
      • Preference may be given to DBEs in cases where they did not submit the low bid.
      • Smaller specialty contracts may be given preference over system-wide contracts in efforts to accommodate local DBEs.
      • Priority will be given to local DBEs, followed by Ohio-based DBEs, then Regional/National DBEs.

I. PROCEDURE – Department:

1. Departments will assist in the compliance of this policy by allowing supplier representatives visitation in accordance with this policy.
2. No supplier representatives will be allowed access to storage areas or inventory areas unattended.
3. Departments will provide specific department instructions or requirements to Supplier Representatives, as necessary.
4. Supplier registration kiosks and badge printers can be obtained by making an online IT request for a new device to be set up as a vendor registration “Vendormate” kiosk. The expense of the kiosk and badges is managed by the requesting department.
5. It is the responsibility of the department to hold all Guernsey Health Systems pricing and current supplier information confidential. Any questions pertaining to this should be directed to Materials Management.
6. It is the responsibility of all associates of the areas affected by this policy to assist in the enforcement and supplier compliance to the policy and procedures as outlined within this policy. A supplier check-in summary is provided in Exhibit 3.\
7. If any supplier fails to comply with this policy, it is the responsibility of the department manager to report the individual to the Director of Materials Management for further action. Violations of the policy will be addressed on a case by case basis.
8. Supplier Representatives who are on-site and not wearing a hospital badge should be stopped and directed to the appropriate sign in location.
9. Department will contact Security directly and immediately if supplier representative poses a threat to patient, staff, or Guernsey Health Systems security.

Revision History:

07/01/2019
Rev 1.0
Newly developed policy. Adapted for Guernsey Health Systems from OhioHealth policy. Posted and approved07/01/2019.

REFERENCES:
Observers in the Operating Room 7/2018
Gifts or Benefits from Vendors, Patients or Others 12/2015

ATTACHMENTS:
Exhibit 1 – Guernsey Health Systems Vendormate Registration Locations
Exhibit 2 – Supplier check-in summary

RECISION:
EXHIBIT 1

EXHIBIT 2 – CHECK IN SUMMARY

Supplier Representative 

Check-In Summary

• All supplier visitors require appointments.
• Supplier registration must be complete and current before a supplier registration badge is issued.
• Supplier representatives must read and acknowledge (by electronic signature) the supplier guidelines.
• The Guernsey Health Systems supplier badge will be valid for the day of visit and valid only for the specific area they have been authorized to access.
• The Guernsey Health Systems supplier badge must always be visible while conducting business at Guernsey Health Systems.
• At the end of the appointment/s suppliers are expected to sign-out.
  
  *If a supplier is seen without a supplier badge, they will be asked to register or asked to leave the facility