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Frequently Asked Questions

What does "HPS" stand for?

Actually, today “HPS” technically stands just for “HPS.”

When our organization was formed 75 years ago, we only catered to hospitals and medical groups, so at that time “HPS” stood for “Hospital Purchasing Service.” But those days are long gone, and our membership has grown to include, in addition to hospitals and medical groups, senior living facilities, schools and educational groups, senior nutritional feeding programs, county governments, religious organizations, camps, jails and so much more.

We like to think it stands for “Helping People Succeed.”


Who owns HPS?

HPS is owned by our non-profit Members.


What areas/states do you serve?

HPS has Members in 36 states plus DC: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

Our footprint has grown 50% over the past five years.


How many Members does HPS have?

At the close of our 2023 fiscal year, we had 4,823 Members. We added 608 new Members last year—2.5 per business day.


What associations do you support and what conferences and trade shows do you attend?

HPS is an industry member or exhibitor with many associations across all classes of trade, both at the state and national levels. In fiscal 2023, we attended or sponsored 113 events; we also maintained memberships and actively participated in 61 different associations in 19 states and 10 nationally. The list of associations, conferences and trade shows that we support is continually changing and growing. There is a calendar of events on our Member website that lists upcoming conferences that HPS is involved in.

HPS also serves on the committees of five organizations, and we are a founding member of the Association for Healthcare Foodservice of Michigan.

To see if HPS supports a specific association, please contact the Member Resources department at 800-632-4572, or email [email protected].


How does HPS make money?

The majority of HPS operating revenue is derived from annual dues paid by our Members. Additional revenue is received through our Furniture, Finishes & Equipment program and investments.

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MEMBERSHIP:

What does a membership cost?

Membership dues are assessed annually and are based on participation in the program. (First year’s dues are based on a projection of your participation, based on your current purchasing habits.) Dues range from several hundred to a few thousand dollars, and all dues are capped.


How are HPS Members serviced?

As a Member, you are assigned to a Region Manager or a Member Resource Representative, depending on your type of facility, your geographic location and your specific customer service needs. You are also paired with representatives from our Furniture, Finishes & Equipment department.

Your Region Manager is your main contact for any questions you have. Your HPS representative will also provide you with an annual business review, highlighting your annual spend, how much you saved through our contracts, how much you earned through our various rebate programs, and other useful information to help you better use your membership with us.

Also, you are always welcome to call the HPS main office at 800-632-4572 during normal business hours. Your call will be answered by a live person (no phone trees here!), and you will be directed to the best person available to assist you with your needs.


Who is/would be my HPS representative and how can I request an appointment with them?

You can call the HPS main office at 800-632-4572, or email [email protected], to determine who is, or would be, responsible for your membership.

HPS PROGRAM OFFERINGS:

How do you ensure I am getting the right price?

If the vendor is reporting the purchase volume to HPS, then this confirms the vendor recognizes your facility is linked to the HPS contract. In order to verify if your facility is receiving the correct price, you would need to send invoices from the vendor to the HPS office. Just call 800-632-4572 or email [email protected] to get the process started.

We also conduct periodic audits of key accounts to determine that the correct pricing is being passed along to our Members. Should we discover any discrepancies, any affected Members are made financially whole.


How can I get a price evaluation?

Whether you are a current Member or a prospective Member, pricing evaluations are a core part of our business. If you are interested in an evaluation, call 800-632-4572 or email [email protected].


Who makes HPS contracting decisions?

HPS is Member-owned and Member-operated. As such, we have 10 advisory committees made up of volunteer Members. These committees determine which contracts we explore, which are approved and which are declined.

Using Member-driven committees like this ensures we are getting the best input from those who know precisely what’s happening in their fields, what trends are developing, what legislation is coming, what works and what will pave the way.


Is there minimum participation in any program?

HPS is a voluntary program. A facility can join to participate in one contract or many contracts. There are contracts that offer incentives and better pricing tiers for specific levels of purchases, however, those savings would be above and beyond the normal contract savings through our contracts.


Do you have an equipment catalog?

Yes, HPS has an equipment catalog, which is available on our Member website. It highlights the types of equipment HPS offers. Please contact the HPS office and ask to speak to a customer service representative to discuss your specific equipment needs. Our customer service representatives will assist you in developing specifications and provide you with a price quote on the equipment.


How do I become an HPS vendor?

Please fill out the vendor application. Your application will be reviewed by the responsible committee.