A collaborative medical supply procurement initiative led by four top-tier hospitals in Zhejiang Province officially commenced on January 26. The participating institutions—Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, and Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University—have jointly organized this group purchasing program targeting four high-demand medical supplies: neurointerventional access catheters, peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC), implantable ports, and heavy liquids for ophthalmic surgery.
The procurement draft proposals for each category have been publicly released, with a consultation window open from January 26 to January 30.
Neurointerventional Access Catheters: Stratified Purchasing with Price-Volume Control
Led by Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, the procurement focuses on products with material codes beginning with C020505 and C020506, divided into two categories: primary access (such as long sheaths) and secondary access (such as intermediate catheters).
The selection criteria incorporate historical bidding data to ensure price rationality:
- Products previously selected in provincial or inter-provincial volume-based procurement programs must meet three strict pricing requirements: not exceeding Zhejiang's historical minimum purchase price, not exceeding other provinces' minimum selected prices, and not exceeding the group's maximum valid bid price (data cutoff: December 31, 2025).
- New or previously unselected products must price below both the group's weighted average price and Zhejiang's historical minimum purchase price.
The first-year demand for neurointerventional catheters is projected at 21,120 units.
PICC Catheters: Nationwide Price Benchmarking
The PICC procurement, led by Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, targets products coded C020703 (excluding specialized tracking/location-enabled models).
This "volume-linked" procurement requires participants to disclose their prices from all provincial-level procurement programs nationwide. Products previously selected in any provincial procurement must participate.
Selection requires:
- Prior provincial-level selection status
- Bid prices not exceeding national minimum selected prices or Zhejiang's historical purchase prices
First-year demand is estimated at 88,840 units.
Implantable Ports: Quality-Price Optimization
Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital leads this procurement (codes beginning C020704, excluding spinal models), grouping products by structure and function.
The "volume-for-price" mechanism prioritizes clinical value through:
- Mandatory pricing below both group ceilings and national minimums
- Automatic selection for products with pre-2025 procurement history if pricing improves
- Median-price benchmarking for new entrants
Ophthalmic Heavy Liquids: Price-Capped Participation
Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University oversees this procurement (codes beginning C080701), setting a maximum bid price of ¥150/mL.
All compliant bids (below national minimums and the price cap) qualify, with 70% of participants selected (or all if ≤3 qualify). First-year demand projects 4,718 boxes (28,660mL equivalent).
Accelerating Provincial Group Procurement Models
Zhejiang's healthcare authorities have actively promoted collaborative procurement models since April 2024, encouraging hospital alliances to address gaps in national/provincial procurement coverage.
Recent implementations include:
- January 23 results for ureteral stents, cervical dilation balloons, microwave ablation electrodes, and coronary balloons
- December 2024 information collection for flow diverters, dialyzers, hemostatic materials, intradermal needles, and endodontic files by five major hospitals
This hospital-led approach enhances procurement efficiency and clinical relevance compared to traditional models, demonstrating potential to reshape medical supply purchasing practices nationwide.