Supply Chain Management in Hospital: A Case Study Samuel Toba • Mary Tomasini • Y. Helio Yang San Diego State University, San Diego, CA It is a common misunderstanding that hospital purchasing is just a functional part of operations rather than a strategic means to achieve financial cost savings. The supply chain process is the essential link for all programs and services offered by a hospital, and hence any improvement in managing the supply chain can positively impact bottom line profitability