The Total Supply Chain Cost (TSCC) program developed by Owens & Minor and Virginia Mason Medical Center aims to lower costs for both parties. It assigns all distribution and inventory costs to Virginia Mason while guaranteeing Owens & Minor a profit. TSCC uses an "Alpha system" where Virginia Mason exclusively partners with select vendors. This consolidated approach streamlines purchasing and reduces costs compared to working with multiple vendors. An example shows it could save over $42,000 for a medical facility compared to switching just one supply type, like sutures, to a non-Alpha vendor.