Friends and Associates:

I need your help!!  Our hospital periodically has a Labor Relations Attorney come in and speak to management. Outside vendors always comes up as an issue.  She states that if you allow outside sales vendors to come in to your facility you open yourself up for groups some might find undesirable....KKK, White Supremists, etc.  She states if you allow one you must allow the other!

I need data for my hospital leadership:

Does your hospital allow outside vendor sales?

How many per year on average do you have?

What types? (jewelry? Books?, etc)

This information would be greatly appreciated....I am fearful that if I cannot provide enough information to leadership, they will stop outside sales completely.  We use this money (several thousand dollars annually) to fund our Auxiliary Scholarship program. 

Thanks for your help!

Kevin Hilton, DVS

Hardin Memorial Hospital, Elizabethtown KY

We were also reviewed by an attorney, but much like the previous post, there was no problem.  We have a policy that states in part, the vendor must have an invitation from a specific manager in a specific department and the event must be expressly to financially benefit the facility.  The policy also states our Executive Leadership must be informed of all invitations and reserves the right to cancel any they find not to conform to the policy.

We schedule 8 - 10 events per year.  Again, much like the previous post, they are all professional vendors, not the Tupperware/Beauty Control things, jewelry, books, linens, and scrubs.

If you want to do sales, I suggest you check other hospitals in your area and get a reliable and honest list of vendors. We have never has a problem with any of our venders - ever

We have around 8 sales a year, uniform, jewelry, bedding, electronics etc. Some vendors are easlier to work with than others, so soon you will have your favorites.

Good luck, it is an easy way to raise funds and the employees love it. Payroll deduction is important to a good sale. We have 6 pay periods for the deductions and keep the sales at least 6 weeks apart.

Breda M. Turner

Barbara,

What the Labor Relations attorney stated was that if you invite someone into your facility (it does not matter if they sell items or distribute materials) you could not deny someone else that same opportunity.  We purchase items from our Gift Shop vendors....we do not provide them with space within the facility to physically come in and sell merchandise or distribute literature.

I agree....I too think it is ridiculous....I am hoping that our leadership will feel that the risk is so low, that they allow us to continue with outside sales.

Thanks to all who responded!

Kevin Hilton, Hardin Memorial Hospital, Elizabethtown, KY