title: Strategic approach to the development of a superior product.
abstract: This article describes an innovative approach to the design and delivery of health care services; a brief summary of the underlying rationale of the approach; a comparison of the traditional health care delivery system with the new, extended product line (EPL) approach; and an evaluation of the extended product line process. Information regarding the extended product line will be presented as a case study, describing one hospital's experience with the development of a cardiac extended product line.
mesh_terms: D002309:Cardiology; D003191:Comprehensive Health Care; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D006739:Hospital Administration / Q000379:methods*; D006745:Hospital Bed Capacity, 300 to 499; D006748:Hospital Departments / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007196:Indiana; D011357:Product Line Management / Q000379:methods*