Many requests for proposal (RFPs) for physician services completely miss the point by laying out what is expected and setting out strict performance standards, such as “the contractor will cover X sites from 7 am to 7 pm.”
By doing so, they assume that they know the best way to provide the service. By doing so, they force, or perhaps foolishly fool, potential medical groups to respond as if the requirements set forth in the RFP are actually optimal for the facility.
In other words, they cut off many from offering better alternatives.
After all, the respondents are supposed to be the experts in delivering their type of service. The administrators at a facility are not.
Of course, it’s easier for the administrators to simply put together a static RFP. Just like when they buy pens. And, its easier to compare responses when they are shoehorned into nice little boxes.
Hospitals say that they want medical groups to partner with them. They want physicians’ interests aligned with the facility’s. But RFPs speak to vendors, not to partners or to truly aligned third parties.
We change vendors like we change underwear. We value our partners.
