Don’t let tariffs catch you off guard: A Guide for Healthcare I/O

Healthcare organizations are entering a new period of change, with evolving tariff policies introducing new challenges for how Input/Output environments are managed. Equipment, mobile devices, parts, supplies, media, and paper are all under strain as they face rising costs, supply delays, and growing operational risk. 

The question on everyone’s mind: How can we navigate these changes without straining budgets or disrupting care?

We’ve put together this guide to help healthcare leaders take action now. It outlines practical steps to protect your Input/Output (I/O) environments and build the operational resilience needed to navigate whatever comes next.

How can you prepare

While many variables are still in flux, there are steps healthcare organizations can take today to mitigate risk and strengthen Input/Output environments against the ripple effects of tariffs.

1. Strengthen Supplier Strategies for I/O

• Review your current suppliers for key I/O categories: equipment, mobile devices, parts, supplies, media, and paper. Find out which products are imported from China, the EU, or Canada. These are the most directly impacted.
  
• Flag high-risk SKUs (especially private-label items or OEM components) that may have less pricing transparency or be subject to sudden markups.‍
• Pre-negotiate unit pricing or fixed-cost agreements where possible to avoid sudden pass-through costs from distributors.
• Work with suppliers to confirm sourcing origins and explore alternatives that are either:
  
  • Already stocked domestically
  • Assembled in regions not currently affected by reciprocal tariffs 

While switching vendors entirely may not be feasible, just understanding which SKUs or categories are vulnerable helps you build a smarter sourcing strategy and buy time to plan ahead.

2. Leverage Group Purchasing Power

Group purchasing organizations can give you better leverage.

• Lock in pricing now for equipment, mobile devices, parts, supplies, media, and paper.
  
• Offset tariff-driven increases before they reach your budget.

This strategy is already being used across healthcare to manage rising material costs. You should be doing the same for your I/O categories.

3. Reduce Waste and Improve Efficiency

If your I/O environment isn’t being tracked, it’s leaking money.

• Use centralized I/O inventory management systems to track usage, enforce utilization policies, and cut down on unnecessary output.
• Standardize devices and consolidate vendors to reduce supply variability.
• Before replacing any equipment, check for underutilized devices that could be redeployed.
• Reduce reliance on print by shifting to digital workflows where it makes sense, such as using digital faxing.

These are simple changes that help you absorb cost increases without increasing your budget.

4. Build Inventory Buffers for Critical Items

• Stock high-use consumables like patient ID labels, discharge documents, and packaging materials now, before supply tightens further .
  
• Use real-time tracking and analytics to forecast demand and manage reorder points more precisely.

5. Get Ahead of IT and Staffing Constraints

As noted in both CIO.com and Becker’s, healthcare CIOs are already experiencing:

• Delayed projects
• Hiring freezes
• Budget pullbacks
• Overwhelmed desktop support teams

If your team is stretched thin, now is the time to rethink how I/O is being supported, not just what you’re buying.

How can Techio help

Techio is built for healthcare environments where IT teams are stretched thin and I/O infrastructure has become a victim of one-dimensional MPS vendors, dated technologies, and rigid workflows.

We don’t come in with a rip-and-replace approach or expensive consulting fees. We bring structure, accountability, and full-service I/O support without increasing your spend.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• We take on 20 to 30 percent of the work typically handled by the desktop team, without the need to hire contractors or expand your headcount.
• We standardize and streamline your I/O environment so your team isn’t stuck chasing tickets or juggling multiple vendors.
• You get boots-on-the-ground 24/7/365 handling desktop tickets.
• We support your security posture with secure Input/Output policies, device hardening, and HIPAA-compliant configurations.
• We take tariff concerns off your plate by managing supplies, controlling pricing through our all-inclusive program, and bringing the inventory management systems to back it up.
• You don’t spend more. We deliver all of this within your current I/O budget.

The result: Your IT team gains back bandwidth. Your environment becomes more stable. And your organization gets the reliability, visibility, and support it needs to keep moving.

The bottom line: Don’t wait for the fallout

The tariffs may not be fully in effect yet, but waiting for the dust to settle isn’t a strategy.

This is the moment to stabilize your I/O infrastructure to minimize risk, control costs, and adapt your operations to a shifting global environment. 

At Techio, this is our focus.
We help healthcare systems optimize and future-proof their I/O environments so they’re ready not just for tariff volatility, but for whatever the next disruption brings.

Need help making sense of where you stand? Schedule a free assessment. 

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