Section 1: Basic knowledge for understanding the healthcare sector and the supply chain in Hospitals.

In this section you will find all the basics you need to set up a purchasing department and understand the hospital world. We start with some definitions
and explain how to derive the purchasing strategy from the corporate strategy.
With the ten building blocks of our pyramid, we explain step by step how to build a professional purchasing department. At the end of each building block of the pyramid, you will find a checklist. So you easily can check your maturity level and develop your individual to-do list. The pyramid chapter is your navigation system through this book for all issues about purchasing. In this chapter, we tell you a bit about our experience using some anecdotes. Why?

Just remember: Big Change always provides you with incredible experiences. Take it with humor. Continue to solve the problems step by step. And be patient with your team. Change means for your team: acquiring new skills and changing habits. Accompany and support your team. We hope that you will smile from time to time while reading and realize that you are not alone with your problems.

Logistics in a hospital is complex. We point out on the different areas an challenges.
Healthcare is a unique universe full of mystery, magic and with wonderful people. But also complex and full of technical terms. Only if you understand these
you will become a successful buyer or logistician. You should understand for your country how the healthcare system works.
Thats not easy so we provide only a description of the german system.

We are especially proud of Tjarko’s article. He suceeded to explain the wonder of the human body in a very short and understandable way.