How to enhance IVF clinic procurement processes using ARTis

The Challenge

IVF centres often manage their own pharmacies due to the specialised nature of the medications required—drugs that are not readily available at typical pharmacy outlets. Managing procurement for these essential drugs, however, can be challenging without a proper system in place. Many centres still rely on outdated, paper-based methods, leading to inefficiencies, unpredictability, and a lack of transparency. Without a structured system, vendor contracts, pricing details, and overall vendor management become difficult to oversee, leaving centre management reliant on pharmacists and perpetually questioning whether things are running smoothly.

Vendor management is one of the most critical aspects of procurement, requiring strict systemic control. Are IVF centres aware of this challenge? Do they need an effective, easy-to-use system to manage it? The answer is a resounding yes.

The ARTis Solution

ARTis has developed an intelligent solution to streamline the vendor selection process, ensuring that IVF centers can manage procurement more efficiently.

Preferred Drug Vendor Concept

IVF centers typically enter into contracts with multiple vendors to secure the best deals on drugs and consumables. However, the details of these agreements are often poorly documented or inconsistently managed. ARTis introduces a “Preferred Drug Vendor” feature that systematically identifies the most suitable vendor for each drug, based on three key elements:

1. Cost
2. Discounts
3. Special Offers (e.g., 10 free items for every 100 purchased)

The system calculates the effective cost for each vendor, ranks them accordingly, and automatically selects the most favourable option. This eliminates manual intervention and ensures that vendor management is handled systematically, maximising efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Following schematic depicts the process:

Consider a scenario where Vendor 3 offers an aggressive promotion of 10 free items for every 100 ordered. The ARTis system recognises this as a significant advantage and automatically prioritises Vendor 3, ensuring that the centre benefits from the best possible deal.

This competitive approach ensures that IVF centres consistently secure optimal terms from their vendors, driving better overall procurement outcomes.

Advanced Purchase Order (PO) Process

Traditional PO processes involve creating a purchase order, adding items, and then sending it for approval. In an IVF center, which deals with multiple vendors and frequent orders, this process can be cumbersome and prone to error—especially when each item may have a different preferred vendor.

ARTis offers a bold departure from conventional PO processes. Instead of selecting a vendor first and then adding items, ARTis allows users to select the required drugs, and the system automatically assigns the best vendor for each item. The system then generates multiple purchase orders in one seamless action, grouping items by vendor and ensuring that the best terms are applied across the board.

How It Works

The user selects all the drugs needed based on the purchase requisition and initiates the creation of purchase orders. The system then automatically generates several purchase orders, each optimised for the most suitable vendor. This entire process is completed with just one click.

In a conventional system, this process would be time-consuming and error-prone, with multiple opportunities for things to go wrong. ARTis simplifies the process, ensuring that IVF centers can manage procurement more effectively.

Key Benefits

1. Price Control
   ARTis ensures that the best prices are selected for every item, eliminating the risks associated with manual intervention.
2. Ease of Use
   The pharmacy team can focus on other critical tasks, as ARTis handles vendor selection automatically, making the procurement process simpler and more efficient.
3. Efficiency
   Significant time savings allow the procurement staff to focus on other essential aspects of their work, improving overall productivity.
4. Better Negotiations
   ARTis provides a structured, competitive landscape that facilitates ongoing negotiations with vendors, helping to secure even better deals over time.

Conclusion

Managing a pharmacy within an IVF centre requires precise control over drug procurement, ensuring the best possible deals from vendors. However, maintaining these contracts and ensuring adherence to agreed-upon prices is a complex task. ARTis offers a smart, dedicated solution that not only streamlines vendor selection but also simplifies the purchase order process. With ARTis, IVF centres can save time, ensure efficiency, and consistently achieve the best outcomes in their procurement activities.