About ROi
Recent Events
ROi in the News
Consolidated Services Center (CSC),
Springfield, Missouri
CSC Distribution Map
About ROi
Resource Optimization & Innovation (ROi) is the for-profit
entity through which the Sisters of Mercy Health System will conduct
its direct contracting and group purchasing activities. The name supports
Mercy's resource management goal, which is to optimize the use of all
resources through innovative approaches. As a for-profit entity, ROi
is able to act as a GPO in the collection of fees traditionally paid
to group puchasing organizations.
Critical to the success of ROi is the Pathways Materials Management
(PMM) information system, which stores all the information about supplies
used by Mercy's facilities. PMM allows co-workers to electronically
request, order, receive and pay for supplies, expediating the entire
process.
A primary goal of ROi is to consolidate products
across Mercy, particularly by reducing product variation. This will
provide Mercy with increased contracting leverage, enable swifter distribution
to Mercy facilities and decrease the complexity of management and training
issues for Mercy. To facilitate the distribution process, Mercy built
an 83,000-square-foot distribution facility, the Consolidated Services
Center (CSC) in Springfield, Missouri. The CSC currently services Mercy
operations in Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas (refer
to below map).
Back to top
Recent Events
ROi Holds Healthcare
Supply Vendor Conference
ST LOUIS, MO (March 2003) -- ROi was introduced to to the public
in mid-March 2003 at Mercy's healthcare supply vendor conference in
St. Louis, which aimed to inform vendors
about Mercy's self-contracting and self-distribution activities. Nearly
300 people attended the event, more than 250 of whom were vendors.
Two awards were presented to vendors who have been
an integral part of Mercy's new supply chain strategy. Kimberly-Clark
was awarded the "Early Adopter Award" as the first vendor
to sign a supply chain partnership agreement with Mercy's Consolidated
Services Center (CSC) in Springfield, Missouri, in 2001, when they initiated
a direct shipping program from their manufacturing plant in Arlington,
Texas, to the CSC. AmerisourceBergen
was awarded the "Supplier Innovation Award" for its commitment
to improved clinical quality and patient safety. Mercy's partnership
with AmerisourceBergen will include the implementation of bedside verification
technology for pharmaceuticals in every Mercy nursing unit and the automation
of pharmaceutical inventory management processes. Through this partnership,
Mercy expects to reduce medication errors, enable pharmacists to participate
more directly in patient care, and implement standardized solutions
that are supportive of computerized physician order entry.
Back to top
allows Mercy to purchase supplies in bulk directly from manufacturers
and to handle storage and distribution internally, eliminating the expense
of distributors. The CSC also is able to electronically tack and manage
the use of supplies, improving efficiency in ordering and inventory systems.
Services of the CSC have expanded to Mercy facilities in Arkansas, Oklahoma
and Kansas. 
