Among the cost-savings initiatives under way at Pipeline Health is one that involves a new relationship that is reducing the cost of hospital supplies.
Effective Jan. 1, Pipeline is affiliated with SURPASS, a program of the Premier Group Purchasing Organization. Pipeline has been affiliated with Premier for purchasing a wide range of hospital supplies since 2022.
Among the other SURPASS affiliates are founding member Texas Health Resources and the Billings Clinic, part of the Mayo Clinic Care Network.
“Pipeline has 18 months to get in full compliance with our agreement to purchase 90 percent of our supplies through SURPASS,” explained Bob Bertels, Pipeline’s corporate director for supply chain. “In exchange for that commitment, Pipeline receives deep discounts on the quality supplies we need.”
Bertels estimates that Pipeline could save as much as $2.8 million a year in supply costs through the new affiliation.
“We will have a limited number of vendor options, but all are well-known vendors,” he said.
Using examples of common hospital supplies, Bertels explained that the practice of purchasing several kinds of examination gloves, different kinds of dressings and bandages, and a variety of plastic urinals – all from different vendors — is more costly than purchasing one kind of glove, one kind of dressing, one kind of urinal from a single vendor.
“During the COVID pandemic, when there were many supply chain interruptions, we learned that we could be less particular about certain kinds of supplies while still purchasing quality products,” Bertels said.
SURPASS also serves a resource for purchasing decisions, providing a range of data analytics to support supply chain purchases.
2.11.2026