Frequently Asked Questions
What is a group purchasing organization?
A group purchasing organization (GPO) is an entity that is created to aggregate the purchasing volume of a group of businesses to obtain discounts from vendors based on the collective buying volume of the GPO members. Managing purchasing effectively is critical to achieving overall operational success and providing optimal patient/customer service, and can present a substantial financial advantage.
How do GPOs work?
Aggregated Buying Power:
GPOs pool the purchasing needs of multiple businesses, giving them the leverage to negotiate better prices and terms with suppliers.
Negotiated Contracts:
GPOs negotiate contracts with suppliers on behalf of their members, setting terms for pricing, volume, and payment.
Cost Savings:
By leveraging their combined purchasing power, GPO members can often access discounts and other benefits they wouldn't be able to secure individually.
What are the benefits of a GPO?
Savings on Products and Services:
GPOs can help businesses save money on a wide range of products and services, including office supplies, technology, food, and more.
Streamlined Procurement:
By working with a GPO, businesses can often streamline their purchasing processes and reduce the time spent on sourcing and negotiating deals.
Access to Exclusive Contracts:
GPOs often have pre-negotiated contracts with suppliers, providing members with access to favorable pricing and terms.
Who Benefits from GPOs?
Small to Medium-Sized Businesses:
GPOs are particularly beneficial for smaller businesses that may not have the purchasing power of larger corporations.
Healthcare Providers:
Healthcare GPOs play a significant role in helping healthcare providers save money on supplies and equipment.
Educational Institutions:
GPOs also work in the education sector to help schools and universities negotiate better deals on products and services.
Are there membership fees to join UISS?
UISS receives administrative fees that are paid by the suppliers based on purchasing volume. Under this methodology, our members do NOT pay a membership fee to belong.
What classes of trade can become members of UISS?
UISS has more than 45 years of experience representing the interests of healthcare facilities, in both acute and non-acute settings. In recent years, however, our member base has evolved to include non-healthcare entities such as educational institutions, business and industry organizations, recreational facilities and hospitality venues.
What is your relationship with Premier, Inc.?
Premier, Inc. has more than 2,000 national contracts available to our members with suppliers from small business models to market share leaders. Premier’s experienced staff uses innovative tools to negotiate leading prices on the widest selection of high-quality products and services across departments and integrated delivery networks. Through Premier, our members have access to the purchasing power that comes with over $44 billion in purchasing volume and over $4.2 billion in savings. Premier’s sourcing strategy delivers an overall best price-in-practice portfolio that provides flexibility and leverages national scale and efficiencies, with many opportunities for aggregation to drive greater value combined with benchmarking and market intelligence support for local initiatives.