I don’t know about you, but I have attended hospital value analysis team meetings where everyone wasn’t on the same page. Some VA project managers were doing their work from their primary job during meetings, others were weeks behind on their VA studies and a few weren’t sure where to get started on their VA projects. With this scenario in mind, here are three suggestions to get all your value analysis team members on the save page:
- Develop a standardized system for evaluating new products, services and technologies: We have seen too many hospital value analysis teams evaluate each new product, service and technology request they receive differently. This should never happen. All new products, services and technology requests should be evaluated in the same manner. That’s why you need to develop a system (i.e. formal steps, procedures and processes for how to evaluate new products, services and technologies) to ensure consistency and integrity of your value analysis methodology.
- Provide value analysis training based on the system you developed for all value analysis team members: This is how you institutionalize your value analysis steps, procedures and processes that, if followed religiously, will keep everyone on the same page.
- Provide proactive coaching for all team members before they ask for help: No one likes to ask for help, therefore they get stuck or off-track with their value analysis projects. That is when either your value analysis coordinator, facilitator, manager or team leader needs to proactively inquire how their team members are doing with their projects. If anyone seems to be behind, stuck or off-track jump in immediately to help them.
Keeping your supply value analysis team members on the same page is mission critical for the success of your value analysis program. If your VA team members are going every which way but forward, they will never become proficient in supply value analysis.