Expert information and specific recommendations for decision-makers
Building on the findings of the discussion forums Hospital Procurement Congress and BKK-THINKTANK, CKM and Wegweiser have launched a series of white papers specifically addressing the challenges of procurement and logistics in the healthcare sector.
The aim and purpose of this white paper series is to clarify the substance of a procurement management issue on which opinions differ. Drawing on evidence-based cost-benefit analyses, consensus meetings and studies, contentious issues are clarified and specialist information is provided to assist in decision-making.
The principle of neutrality and independence from third-party interests applies.
STUDIES
Study: The latex-free hospital (2026)
Is it clinically and epidemiologically sound, and economically effective, to switch the range of surgical gloves to latex-free products? This study investigates the extent to which switching the glove portfolio to latex-free products is clinically, epidemiologically and economically justifiable. Latex sensitivity and latex-allergic reactions continue to represent a significant burden on the healthcare system that should not be underestimated. Staff in healthcare settings are at particular risk of developing latex-associated allergies due to their regular contact with medical devices containing latex. The regular wearing of latex gloves is considered the most common cause of latex allergies. The prevalence of latex sensitivity amongst staff in healthcare facilities ranges between 8 and 12 per cent; for staff in the operating theatre, the risk rises to as high as 15 per cent. In the general population, the prevalence of latex sensitivity is estimated at 1 to 2 per cent.
The creation of a latex-free environment in hospitals, particularly in high-care areas such as operating theatres, intensive care units, A&E departments or oncology wards, is the subject of heated debate amongst clinical staff, infection control experts and procurement decision-makers. From the perspective of purchasers, this controversy is reflected, amongst other things, in the procurement of latex-free gloves. Against this backdrop of a controversial debate, this study aims to assess the practicality, necessity and cost-effectiveness of a switch to the primary use of latex-free gloves from the perspective of purchasers and logistics specialists.
Procurement and Logistics Management in Hospitals (2025)
Many decision-makers in procurement and logistics are uncertain about future developments in politics, the economy and society.
The planned hospital structural reform will have a significant impact on the organisation of medical services through specialisation, the shift towards outpatient care and the creation of centres, and will consequently also influence procurement management. The proposed shift in refinancing towards standby costs, hybrid DRGs and rDRGs will also have an impact on the management of material costs and the calculation of medical material requirements, thereby influencing decision-making processes in procurement and logistics.
Against this backdrop, the aim is to determine how the remit of procurement and logistics in hospitals is changing and how this may affect the supply policies of the medical industry as well as the business models of procurement groups.
Specifically, the question is what particular challenges procurement management will have to address over the next 24 to 30 months, what actions need to be taken on the procurement side, and which gaps in professional expertise need to be closed.
The key challenge for procurement management in 2025/26 will be to ensure security and quality of supply whilst facing price and cost pressures, and despite uncertainty regarding the further effects of healthcare reform.
Recycling of single-use products (2024)
The study ‘Reprocessing of single-use products’ examines the current debates and implications of a potential ban on the reprocessing of single-use medical devices. It examines the extent to which the targeted reprocessing of expensive and resource-intensive medical devices can form part of value-based procurement management in order to meet rising demands in areas such as sustainability and cost-effectiveness. The main aim of the study is to gauge hospitals’ views on how such a ban might affect cost-effectiveness, patient safety and sustainability in the healthcare sector.
Monitoring – Procurement and Logistics in Hospitals (2023)
Wegweiser Research & Strategy GmbH (the parent company of the organiser of the Procurement Congress) and the Centre for Hospital Management, Prof. Dr Dr Wilfried von Eiff, analysed the current procurement trends for 2022 and beyond in 2022 as part of a comprehensive survey of all approximately 1,880 hospitals, as well as selected rehabilitation and care facilities and medical care centres. The results were published as a report in May 2023.
WHITE PAPER
Digitalisation: KHZG Update – Current Situation, Outlook and Options for Action (2023)
This first free white paper, now available, entitled “Digitalisation: KHZG Update – Situation, Prospects, Courses of Action”, was first presented by the authors, Prof. Dr Dr Wilfried von Eiff and Prof. Dr Kurt Marquardt, at the 2nd BKK Think Tank on 6 December 2023 in Berlin. It reflects on the new decision-making landscape and sets out an 18-point programme with courses of action for hospitals. In the white paper, you will learn, amongst other things:
- what additional measures are required in conjunction with the KHZG to effectively drive forward digitalisation in the healthcare sector,
- what role AI applications and the start-up scene play in this,
- an 18-point programme with recommendations for decision-makers from hospitals, the medical industry, associations and the political sphere.