Most medical centers today acquire supplies, medications, and devices through group purchasing organizations (GPOs) rather than directly from a manufacturer. GPOs are intermediaries that catalog medical supplies so medical centers can purchase them from manufacturers. According to the American Hospital Association, 68% of hospitals used a GPO for their main purchasing needs in 2000, and by 2014, an estimated 98% of hospitals used a GPO.1 The nation’s largest GPO, Vizient Inc, claims to own 30% of the national market for all medical supplies, and, collectively, the 4 largest GPOs in the United States account for 90% of the market for medical supplies. In this Viewpoint, we explore the role of GPOs in health care, concerns with their current payment structure, and potential solutions. GPOs provide many benefits for hospitals. Since their inception in 1910, GPOs have simplified the way hospitals purchase supplies, ranging from bathroom items (eg, hand soap) to epinephrine vials. GPOs spare hospitals the work and expense of negotiating and contracting with hundreds of different manufacturers. GPOs instead offer hospitals a catalog of thousands of

中文翻译：

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团购组织、医疗保健费用和药品短缺

如今，大多数医疗中心都通过集团采购组织 (GPO) 而不是直接从制造商那里采购用品、药物和设备。GPO 是对医疗用品进行分类的中介机构，因此医疗中心可以从制造商那里购买它们。根据美国医院协会的数据，2000 年有 68% 的医院使用 GPO 来满足其主要采购需求，到 2014 年，估计有 98% 的医院使用 GPO。1 美国最大的 GPO Vizient Inc 声称拥有 30%全国所有医疗用品市场的份额，美国 4 家最大的 GPO 合计占医疗用品市场的 90%。在这个观点中，我们探讨了 GPO 在医疗保健中的作用、对其当前支付结构的关注以及潜在的解决方案。GPO 为医院提供了许多好处。自 1910 年成立以来，GPO 简化了医院采购用品的方式，从浴室用品（例如洗手液）到肾上腺素小瓶。GPO 为医院节省了与数百家不同制造商进行谈判和签订合同的工作和费用。GPO 反而为医院提供了数千个目录