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UTMB Vendor Representative Procedures
UTMB faculty and staff interacting with Vendor Representatives are to ensure the following procedure occurs:
A. Vendor Orientation
1. All vendors shall be required to receive vendor orientation
2. Vendor orientation will be provided by Clinical Purchasing and will include:
a. Overview of UTMB vendor policies and procedures:
B. Vendor Registration
1. Vendor Representatives must sign-in and obtain a “One Day” ID badge. This badge may be obtained in the following locations:
a. Materials Management Hospital Operations Office – 1st floor, Room 1.32 John Sealy Annex, Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
b. Clinical Purchasing – Jennie Sealy Hospital, 5th Floor Room 565, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
c. Pharmacy – 1st floor, Clinical Science Building, Room 1.110, Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
2. Contract Vendors housed at UTMB will be given a UTMB ID badge for a specified period of time upon authorization from Clinical Purchasing or Central Acquisitions, FOAM, UTMB Campus Police, and the involved department.
C. Vendor Appointments
1. Vendor Representatives must have appointments prior to arrival on campus.
2. Appointments will be confirmed when a vendor representative signs-in and obtains badge. Each appointment authorization is for that appointment only, and does not provide authorization to visit any other areas of the hospital or meet with any other staff.
3. No “general sales calls” will be permitted at any time.
D. Vendor Access to Patient Care/Research Areas
1. Vendor Representatives will be restricted from the following areas without prior approval and being accompanied by authorized UTMB staff:
a. patient rooms
b. patient care units
c. all intensive care units
d. UTMB outpatient clinics
e. clinical/research laboratory
f. operating rooms and special procedures areas
g. emergency departments
h. patient waiting areas
i. supply and drug storage areas unattended
j. dispensing areas of the pharmacy
k. staff lounges
2. “Tailgating” or “Piggybacking” where one vendor representative officially registers but is accompanied by other representatives of that company who have not registered is strictly prohibited.
3. “Shadowing” or following physicians or other clinical personnel is prohibited.
4. Vendor shall not touch patient at any time with limited exceptions:
a. A waiver must be signed by the vendor and the department and kept on file in the department with a copy in Clinical Purchasing.
b. UTMB staff must be present while vendor is touching patient.
4. Vendors shall not attend programs in which specific patients are discussed or when quality assurance or risk management issues are presented.
E. Product Samples
1. Product samples may not be left by vendor representatives on any inpatient or outpatient clinical area. (for pharmaceuticals see Pharmacy Policy)
2. Product samples may not be evaluated for patient use without going through the value analysis process and appropriate Cost Management Team.
3. All products must have evidence of approval from respective approval agency (pharmaceuticals, see pharmacy policy) or must go through
Institutional Review Board.
4. A vendor release form must be completed and signed prior to delivery of product for evaluation to UTMB. (See Attachment A)
5. Appropriate training must be provided for end users and documented appropriately, prior to evaluation.
F. Loaner/Demonstration Equipment
1. All medical equipment used in patient care areas must go though the value analysis process and appropriate Cost Management Team prior to evaluation.
2. All medical electronic equipment must be tested and approved for electrical safety by Clinical Equipment Services prior to evaluation.
3. A vendor release form must be completed and signed prior to delivery of equipment to UTMB. (See Attachment A)
4. Appropriate training must be provided for end users and documented, prior to evaluation
5. The company loaning/demonstrating equipment is responsible for picking up equipment after loan/assessment is complete.
6. UTMB will not be responsible for any equipment left on campus 20 working days after completion of loan/assessment.
7. Vendor Representative must notify Clinical Equipment Services when loaned/assessed equipment leaves campus.
G. Off-Label Use
When determined absolutely necessary to evaluate product/equipment for an “off-label” use, the following steps must be completed:
• Faculty must communicate to staff in all impacted areas.
• Faculty must follow-up with patients
• If publishing results, must go through IRB process.
• Medical record must contain information re: the name and pager number of faculty member using devices being tested or off label, for any possible problems.
H. Violation of Guidelines
1. The Vendor Representative Policy must be rigidly followed by vendors and UTMB personnel.
2. All UTMB personnel will assist in monitoring compliance. In the event that a member of the UTMB staff observes a vendor in a UTMB work or patient care area without an approved UTMB Vendor Badge, the staff should do the following:
• Ask the vendor if they are aware of the Vendor Visitation Policy. (If not, they should be directed to the office of Clinical Purchasing, Jennie Sealy, Room 565 (extension 71289).
• Ask the vendor for his/her name and company and request that they leave the area immediately.
• Notify Clinical Purchasing with the vendor information
3. Any violations of the above guidelines will subject the representative and/or company to suspension of on-campus visitation privileges and may be cause for removal of company from UTMB’s approved vendor list. A mandatory meeting between Clinical Purchasing or Central Acquisitions with the vendor representative and their regional manager will be held upon the occurrence of a second violation.
4. Violations of the policy will be subject to intervention by University Police.
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