IHI.org - A resource from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement
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Producer Customer Interface:
Outsource for "Free"

Sometimes it is possible to get suppliers to perform additional functions for the customer with little or no increase in the price to the customer. A task that is a major inconvenience or cost for the customer to perform can be performed inexpensively and efficiently by the supplier. The supplier might be willing to do this task for "free" in order to secure ongoing business with the customer.




Examples of Tests of this Change

When a patient dies in a hospital, the hospital would call a contractor to take the body to a particular mortuary. In order to reduce costs, the hospital asked the mortician to pick up bodies at the hospital rather than hiring someone for this service. Mortuaries that agreed to perform this service remained on the hospital's list of funeral homes. If a patient's family wanted to use another mortuary, they would have to arrange for delivery of the body.