Frequently asked Lean Healthcare Questions (FAQ)
1. What is Lean for Healthcare?
Lean is a term adapted in the mid-80s by the US manufacturing industry in reference to improving production capacity and reducing waste in processes, specifically modeled after the concepts and practices of the Toyota Motor Company.
As an extension of manufacturing's success with these management principles, other industries (including healthcare) have made adaptations of the Toyota Production System (TPS) to establish consistent and reliable work processes that support excellent delivery of services.
Translated for healthcare, the application of Lean/TPS means that we can incorporate continuous improvement into daily activities of work at every level of the organization to optimize the science, technology and compassion that comprises healthcare today.
2. Where can we apply the Toyota Production System in healthcare?
The principles of Toyota Production System can be applied to any work. We have seen significant improvements in inpatient care, nursing activities, diagnostic services, pharmacy, lab, radiology, cardiac services, materials management, facilities management, admissions, patient flow, and cost reduction in surgical services. Improvements realized in billing, coding and other areas of the revenue process have proven to reduce time to payment.
3. What's required to implement the Toyota Production System in an organization?
Three Things:
a. Senior leadership commitment to participate and lead the culture change that occurs as frontline staff learn to look at work differently.
b. An assigned "champion" to coordinate courses and orchestrate movement of TPS activities through departments. This need not be a new employee; we'll help identify a person in your facility.
c. Initial education of staff, managers, and instructors that will build infrastructure and eventual critical mass to create a change of culture.
a. Senior leadership commitment to participate and lead the culture change that occurs as frontline staff learn to look at work differently.
b. An assigned "champion" to coordinate courses and orchestrate movement of TPS activities through departments. This need not be a new employee; we'll help identify a person in your facility.
c. Initial education of staff, managers, and instructors that will build infrastructure and eventual critical mass to create a change of culture.
4. What is Lean Healthcare West's approach to introducing the Toyota Production System to an organization?
The recommended minimum plan is to conduct one 7-week session, choosing the participants with potential coaches and instructors in mind who will then co-teach the course of a second session. The good news is that in previous classes, course work has netted improvements of greater value than the cost of the program. We can tailor our contract to match your organization's goals.
