A large part of procurement work is answering questions
Procurement is often associated with sourcing products, negotiating conditions and placing orders. But much of the daily work begins after an order has been placed.
When will the delivery arrive? Where is the order confirmation? Has the invoice already been issued? What is the status of the service request?
Procurement teams are often the first point of contact for these questions. They locate order confirmations, check delivery status, retrieve invoices, follow up on service requests and provide updates to the clinical, technical, financial and administrative teams that depend on this information.
Individually, none of these requests is particularly complex. Collectively, however, they become a significant part of the daily workload.
When access to information becomes a bottleneck
Most of the information already exists. Order confirmations have been issued, deliveries are being processed, invoices are available and service requests have been logged. The challenge is accessing this information when it is needed.
Research into clinical supply management shows that processes are often manual and reactive, lack clarity and involve shared responsibilities between clinical and supply chain logistics teams.[1] These challenges appear in day-to-day procurement, where checking order status, comparing purchase orders with invoices or following up on service requests often still relies on emails, phone calls and manual coordination.[2] A routine question can therefore trigger a chain of activity: searching for a document, reviewing correspondence, contacting the supplier, confirming the status and forwarding the information. In this way, procurement becomes the manual information interface between suppliers and hospital teams.
Transparency means making information accessible
Greater transparency starts with making existing information easier to find and use. Current NHS supply chain priorities reinforce this need, with a focus on streamlined digital processes and real-time order visibility.[3]
Direct access to order information, delivery updates, invoices and related documents can reduce the dependence on individual email exchanges and routine status enquiries. It can also enable procurement teams and other relevant stakeholders to work from the same information rather than relying on forwarded messages or separate updates. Instead of every question passing through procurement, frequently needed information can be accessed directly when it is required. Procurement remains informed and in control but does not have to act as the intermediary for every routine request.
One digital entry point for frequently needed information
Digital customer portals are one way of addressing this challenge. They provide procurement teams with direct access to information through a shared digital platform, allowing procurement teams to retrieve records, updates and documents without requiring a separate status request each time.
myGetinge, Getinge’s secure customer portal, applies this approach by bringing together order tracking, invoices, order confirmations and service-related information in one digital platform. Procurement teams can check order and delivery status, access relevant documents and follow up on specific requests without first searching through previous email exchanges or waiting for a manual update.
The practical benefit lies in reducing the effort needed to find the right information, pass it on and use it in day-to-day procurement.
From answering questions to enabling action
Digital access does not change the strategic role of procurement. Procurement teams will continue to manage suppliers, coordinate internal requirements and support purchasing decisions. But it can reduce the time spent searching for information that already exists or answering routine questions that others could resolve themselves.
For procurement teams, this means fewer routine information requests and greater visibility into ongoing orders and processes. For other departments, it means faster access to the information they need. For the organization as a whole, it supports more transparent and coordinated ways of working. Less time spent searching and following up leaves more time for procurement teams to focus on the decisions and activities that require their expertise.