Computer-generated fiscal reports for food cost accounting.

To optimize resource utilization for the provision of health-care services, well designed food cost accounting systems should facilitate effective decision-making. Fiscal reports reflecting the financial status of an organization at a given time must be current and representative so that managers have adequate data for planning and controlling. The computer-assisted food cost accounting discussed in this article can be integrated with other sub-systems and operations management techniques to provide the information needed to make decisions regarding revenues and expenses. Management information systems must be routinely evaluated and updated to meet the current needs of administrators. Further improvements in the food cost accounting system will be desirable whenever substantial changes occur within the foodservice operation at the University of Missouri-Columbia Medical Center or when advancements in computer technology provide more efficient methods for manipulating data and generating reports. Development of new systems and better applications of present systems could contribute significantly to the efficiency of operations in both health care and commercial foodservices. The computer-assisted food cost accounting system reported here might serve s a prototype for other management cost information systems.