Lean is the Way of the Future in Healthcare

Lean thinking originated in Japan by the Toyota Motor Company called the Toyota Production System/Lean Thinking. Constraints placed on the Japanese manufacturing industry after the Second World War lead Taiichi Ohno of Toyota to pioneer a new type of production system that was so different, and so much better.

 Lean Healthcare is the adaptation of the Toyota Production System to healthcare.  The primary concept of Lean is it identifies and removes “Waste” in any process.  Lean Thinking is a method to streamline the work and improve efficiencies by eliminating, rework, duplication, wait time, and non value steps. It creates an environment that is user friendly and allows workers to do more with less while improving quality and decreasing costs.  I have found that 50% or more of hospital activities are waste. Lean is applicable to all departments within healthcare organizations.

 Waste is non-value add activities for the patient/customer. One key Leans strategy is to involve “all employees” to use Lean tools that will “find and eliminate waste” in the value stream.  A value stream documents the steps on how the work is being done.

 Culture                                                                                                                                          
A Lean Culture has a commitment from leadership to promote, support and demonstrate Lean ideology. The front line employee becomes the expert. Lean invests full faith and confidence in people doing the direct work. This stimulates them to develop their capabilities to the fullest and makes maximum use of their talent. The lean culture supports, develops, and respects the employees.

 Healthcare Quality

 Lean in Healthcare engages and empowers staff, which leads to a culture of continuous improvement. Lean reduces steps in a process thereby reducing risk for error. Every step has the potential for an error. Lean's philosophy is zero waste and every improvement is focused on this concept. Lean simplifies the process and makes the steps know to all caregivers. The standardization of this process provides information when needed, and creates best practice that is repeatable.

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