Strategic materials management – a charity hospital case

Abstract

The importance of materials management is due to the impact that materials have on the outcomes of organizations, especially in complex environments such as hospitals. This article presents the use of portfolios for strategic management of materials in a charity hospital. The use of portfolios is based on the central idea that different materials and different suppliers should not be managed in the same way. The Strategic Materials Planning Matrix (SMPM) was the tool used to classify purchased materials into four different criteria, suggesting strategies for each group.