Improving the Process of Providing Medical Supplies by Designing an Optimal Model of Purchasing Expertise Based on the Delphi Technique

Hospitals, as the most critical and costly part of the health system of any country, are required to provide quality and cost-effective diagnostic and treatment services, and optimal resource efficiency and cost management are considered essential elements for achieving these goals. In the meantime, proper expertise in medical supplies purchasing has been considered one of the ways to maintain and improve the quality of services and control costs in hospitals. In this regard, this research aims to identify effective indicators in the expertise of medical supplies purchasing.

This research was of the applied type and was carried out in a descriptive-survey way. To implement, the indicators collected from previous related studies, with the opinion of experts and using the Delphi method, were completed, and the expertise model of medical supplies purchasing was designed and proposed.

Sixteen criteria for medical supplies purchasing in five main categories, "cost", "quality and safety", "compliance with requirements", "delivery conditions" and "supplier records" were identified, categorized, and designed in the form of a conceptual model of purchasing expertise. According to the results, the criteria of "quality", "importer/producer registration in the system of the General Department of Medical Equipment" and "price" were recognized as the most critical indicators in the purchase of medical supplies.

Accurate identification of effective quantitative and qualitative indicators in the purchase of medical supplies and their use in health and treatment centers will lead to the supply of suitable medical supplies and, as a result, provide quality and cost-effective services along with the efficient management of resources and expenses, it will lead to the improvement of the country's health system services and increase in the satisfaction of service recipients.