Cost of materials for hospitals

Study on developments in the cost of materials and the importance of purchasing associations for hospitals: billions of euros could be saved

• Spending in the health sector is rising continuously: it totaled EUR 279 billion in Germany in 2010
• Inpatient hospital care alone accounted for EUR 66.7 billion of this figure
• 80% of hospitals already use purchasing associations
• In 2010, hospitals saved EUR 4 billion in material costs compared to similar European markets by using purchasing associations and other initiatives

Expenditure on health in Germany is rising steadily – up from EUR 212 billion in 2000 to around EUR 279 billion in 2010. Inpatient care in hospitals accounts for a large proportion of these costs. Cost-saving models for hospitals, such as purchasing associations, are becoming increasingly important against this background. In Germany, 80% of hospitals handle their purchasing via such collaborations, on average buying half of their procurement volume in this way. In 2010, this enabled German hospitals to save some EUR 4 billion in material costs compared to other European markets. This is a key finding of a study by Roland Berger Strategy Consultants called "Material costs and the importance of purchasing companies in the hospital environment," for which the researchers conducted interviews with representatives of hospitals, the healthcare industry and purchasing organizations.