DHBs to save on orthopaedic implants
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PHARMAC has secured the first national contract in the hospital medical device category for orthopaedic trauma, spine, and cranio-maxillofacial implants.
The agreement with medical equipment supplier Stryker can deliver savings to DHBs on medical devices they are already using.
PHARMAC is negotiating national contracts for hospital medical devices on behalf of District Health Boards. Already PHARMAC has negotiated contracts for 14,000 medical device items across 16 contracts, which are estimated to deliver $11.9 million savings to DHBs over 5 years.
Over 7000 items in the Stryker agreement are now listed on the Pharmaceutical Schedule for DHBs to purchase at PHARMAC-negotiated prices.
The Stryker agreement offers initial savings of $190,000 per annum based on current DHB usage. DHBs can continue using the products they always have.
Director of Operations, Sarah Fitt says that this is part of PHARMAC’s ongoing work to get nationally consistent lower prices, and reduce future pricing pressures, on medical devices that many DHBs are already using.
“At this stage, we are seeking a range of national contracts to enable further savings to be made in the future,” says Sarah Fitt.
“PHARMAC is continuing further negotiations with existing DHB suppliers within the orthopaedic implants category to secure more national agreements that will deliver further savings.”