WHAT VALUE ANALYSIS LESSONS CAN WE LEARN FROM A CONDIMENT KIT?

Last week, I ordered take-out lunch with a colleague of mine, Danielle, from a popular restaurant north of Boston. My Greek salad was prepared correctly and contained just the right amount of feta and olives. Danielle’s turkey club was perfect, spread with just the right amount of remoulade and topped with fresh veggies. Obviously, the restaurant cares about customer satisfaction and quality outcomes, similarly to a patient-focused, well-run hospital Supply Chain department that is steeped in product utilization and value analysis philosophy.

So, then, what is my condiment conundrum? Well, our take-out bag also contained six packets of ketchup, two packets of mustard, three packets of relish, a 1.2-ounce jar of mayonnaise, and a tiny bottle of tabasco sauce. Ask yourself: How often have you dressed your salad with condiments or doubled up the spreads on your turkey sandwich?

The average person probably wouldn’t get upset about this. They would simply overlook the additional condiments and throw them away. I, however, make my living working on product utilization, so these excess condiments put a sour taste in my mouth.

Read the full article on Healthcare Purchasing News.

Lindsey is the Director of Utilization for Blue.Point Supply Chain Solutions, an avid angler, hydrangea fanatic, and self-confessed chocolate nut. Above all, she is obsessed with the objective of clinical product utilization.