Cato helps health systems bridge supply gaps by locating out‑of‑stock, backordered, and on‑allocation medical supplies. Their platform lets hospitals search for needed SKUs, request quotes, and receive real‑time availability, pricing, lead times, and alternative options, ensuring uninterrupted patient care and preventing surgery cancellations.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Health systems often encounter out‑of‑stock, backordered, or on‑allocation medical supplies, which can lead to surgical cancellations and interruptions in patient care. Traditional procurement channels may lack real‑time visibility into inventory across multiple manufacturers, making it difficult to source critical items quickly.
Solution
Cato offers an AI‑driven procurement platform that searches a live catalog of over 5 million SKUs from more than 2,300 manufacturers to locate hard‑to‑find medical supplies. Users can request quotes for specific items and receive immediate information on availability, pricing, lead times, and functional substitutes. The platform also provides a Risk Radar that alerts users to emerging supply disruptions and a Value Pulse tool that highlights cost‑saving opportunities through transparent price comparisons. By delivering same‑day responses and end‑to‑end fulfillment support, Cato helps hospitals maintain continuous operations and avoid procedure delays.
Target Audience
Primary customers are supply chain and procurement teams within hospitals and health systems that need rapid access to critical, backordered, or allocated medical products.
Features
- AI‑powered search engine that scans millions of SKUs across thousands of manufacturers for exact matches and verified substitutes
- Real‑time quote generation with detailed pricing, lead‑time, and availability data for each requested item
- Risk Radar early‑warning system that monitors market volatility and flags potential supply shortages before they impact operations
- Value Pulse analytics that provide side‑by‑side price benchmarking and identify off‑contract spend reduction opportunities
- Integrated digital warehouse interface allowing users to browse the live catalog and submit urgent sourcing requests
- Same‑day response workflow that coordinates quote delivery and expedited fulfillment to ensure continuity of care