Group Purchasing
Synernet's group purchasing organization helps
to reduce supply and service costs for hospitals, nursing
homes, HMOs, surgery centers, physician groups, and
other health care providers throughout Maine. Synernet's
group purchasing and supply chain management activities
provide an opportunity for health care providers to
obtain critical supplies and services at discounted
rates. In 2003, our customers purchased more than $50,000,000.00
through Synernet contracts.
For nine years Synernet has had a successful relationship
with AmeriNet, the largest membership-based group purchasing
organization in the country, to offer exceptional contracts
and additional cost savings to Synernet members, while
maintaining the highest level of quality and freedom
of choice. In addition to the contract portfolio offered
by AmeriNet, Synernet's activities involve the negotiation
of regional contracts for a wide range of services and
commodity items. In particular, our telecommunications
program remains one of the largest purchases of toll
and 800 services in Maine. This contract has been expanded
to include heavily discounted rates on telephone line
charges, installation costs, service charges and regulatory
fees.
Our fuel oil contracts Ð light, heavy, natural gas,
diesel and gasoline continue to deliver thousands of
dollars of savings to our customers through the use
of forward pricing arrangements on aggregated volume
requirements. Our use of several suppliers provides
the best pricing for transportation of these fuels.
Synernet receives periodic feedback from members through
a network of committees, task forces, and work groups.
Our staff and committee representatives regularly evaluate
available goods & services in order to develop contracts
and relationships with suppliers that best meet the
needs of end-users of these products. Contracts or agreements
with these suppliers are developed based on customer
input.
Synernet was founded to promote cooperative efforts
among health care institutions through group purchasing
and shared services. Primarily funded by dues paid by
our participants, Synernet staff coordinates a network
of committees, pooling the expertise of professionals
employed at the facilities.
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