| As healthcare costs increase at a faster rate than | | | | value proposition. They need to streamline their |
| other products or services, healthcare providers, | | | | organization systems and processes to fully |
| in particular hospitals, are under continuous | | | | support the process required to deliver high |
| pressure to dramatically improve service, reduce | | | | quality care. |
| costs, improve patient safety, reduce waiting | | | | Commitment and support for any lean initiative |
| times, and reduce errors and associated litigation. | | | | needs to not only come from top healthcare |
| However, hospitals are not making the necessary | | | | management but, even more critically, from the |
| improvements in cost, quality, and safety. A | | | | 'bottom up' for implementation. Decision making |
| report by the U.S. HHS Office of the Inspector | | | | and system development need to be pushed |
| General finds that 20% of consecutive inpatient | | | | down to the lowest levels of any healthcare |
| stay sequences were associated with poor quality | | | | organization. |
| care, unnecessary fragmentation of care, or both. | | | | Management consultants are normally engaged as |
| The current organization and management of | | | | Lean change agents rather than as Lean |
| hospitals is an imperfect system that cannot | | | | facilitators. Healthcare staff should lead any Lean |
| effectively address these issues. Major projects | | | | implementation program. These people are best |
| to restructure hospitals, dramatically reduce cost, | | | | equipped to understand the work environment, |
| and improve customer care have had little impact | | | | issues, challenges, what will work and what won't. |
| on quality or cost. | | | | An empowered and knowledgeable team is |
| In simplistic terms, current healthcare systems | | | | therefore essential to achieve sustainable |
| are not designed to make the process or 'value | | | | improvements and long-term success in any Lean |
| stream' of care flow smoothly. Healthcare | | | | initiative. Put simply, Lean will not work without an |
| services are often 'batch and queue', with patients | | | | educated workforce. |
| spending most of their time waiting until the | | | | Examples of Lean Healthcare Performance |
| Healthcare Professional is ready i.e. push versus | | | | Metricso Improved patient satisfactiono Increased |
| pull. As the population matures, patient cycle times | | | | operating room utilizationo Reduced time between |
| in the hospitals, post-care facilities, and laboratories | | | | procedureso Lower tools and supplies inventoryo |
| become key measurements that need to | | | | Reduced laboratory spaceo Improved cost |
| improve. | | | | effectiveness |
| Our belief is that Lean Healthcare can provide a | | | | Lean Healthcare Accreditation |
| solution to successfully address some of these | | | | A new Lean Healthcare Green Belt Certification |
| concerns with minimal cost but maximum benefit. | | | | program ( was recently developed to enable |
| Lean in Healthcare | | | | effective staff empowerment. |
| The essence of Lean Thinking is to eliminate | | | | The on-line program represents the first |
| waste through understanding how the patient | | | | International Healthcare Certification of its kind, |
| defines value and how to deliver that value. Lean | | | | and provides an essential 'first step' to not only |
| Thinking focuses on creating an efficient, | | | | understanding the theory but also the application |
| waste-free continuous flow built on a pull vs. | | | | of Lean tools and practices through detailed work |
| 'batch and queue' approach aligned with the | | | | assignments, in-line assessments, and final |
| continual pursuit of a perfect system. | | | | examination. |
| Examples of Healthcare Waste:o Redundant | | | | The program has been designed in association |
| capture of information on admissiono Multiple | | | | with the Irish Institute of Industrial Engineers, the |
| recording of patient informationo Excess supplies | | | | Canadian Professional Logistics Institute, Lean |
| stored in multiple locationso Excess time spent | | | | Experts, and Healthcare Consultants in conjunction |
| looking for chartso Patient waiting roomso Excess | | | | with the Leading Edge Group. It is open to |
| time spent waiting for equipment, lab results, | | | | personnel involved in any organization within the |
| x-rays etc.o Excess time spent dealing with | | | | healthcare field, particularly those associated with |
| service complaints | | | | hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, blood banks, |
| Hospitals are made up of a series of processes | | | | laboratories, and pharmacies. Once these people |
| with diverse lines of business. As a consequence, | | | | have the 'appropriate' knowledge, they will be able |
| they need to build their delivery systems with | | | | to envisage and achieve results and, most |
| these lines of business in mind. Hospitals need to | | | | importantly, meet the needs of patients now and |
| know the businesses that drive 80% of their | | | | in the future. |