We see dozens of healthcare supply chain professionals that are doing an excellent job with their value analysis program, but do their executive management team and their peers realize the value of value analysis at their healthcare organization? In many situations, the answer is no, they don’t.
The reason for this phenomenon is that too often healthcare supply chain professionals aren’t effectively communicating the value of their value analysis program to their executive management team and peers. Here are four ways to do so that will get these individuals’ attention:
- Newsletter: The best way we know to communicate the important activities and successes of your value analysis program is with a monthly newsletter. It doesn’t need to be fancy, but it does need to show how your VA team(s) has improved the finances, quality, and safety of your healthcare organization.
- Storyboard: Many of our clients have placed their value analysis success stories on storyboards in their doctors’ lounge, near their cafeteria entrance, and in their hospitals’ lobbies. This tactic gets their message out that value analysis is all about solving problems to make their staff’s job easier and more productive.
- Monthly Report: If you aren’t detailing the savings and successes of your VA program in your monthly management report, you are missing an opportunity to shine a light on these activities. Raw savings numbers aren’t enough; you must highlight your success stories just like you would if you are writing a novel.
- Seminar: On an annual basis, you need to conduct a hospital-wide seminar (invite all management, physicians, and staff) to review your past year’s successes, answer questions, and then give a preview of the coming year’s projects. Make sure you also ask for ideas for improving your VA program.
There you have it, four ideas to effectively communicate the value of your value analysis program. If you select any one of them to implement, I can assure you that you will experience a whole lot more recognition for your VA program than you are receiving now. It all comes down to finding multiple ways to get your message out. You need to communicate the fact that value analysis is not only valuable but also essential for your healthcare organization if it is to survive in this new era of reform.
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