Category Archives: "Lean in Healthcare"

When patients think of doctor appointments and visiting specialists at hospitals, the first thing that often comes to mind is long waiting times in cramped lobbies. Although many doctors do what they can to limit this problem, the fact of the matter is that setting up for patients can be a very time-consuming and exact

Much of the most time-consuming work conducted in operating rooms occurs not during the actual procedure, but in the turnover period from one surgical case to the next. This problem is even more evident in smaller clinics, where the number of available rooms is limited and thus the changeover is necessary between cases. Fortunately, turnover

The healthcare industry is going through some massive changes, spearheaded by the recent drive to convert paper files into digital electronic health records (EHRs). Participating hospitals and clinics can receive upward of $40,000 for making the transition, which is expected to improve collaboration between physicians, reduce the number of mistakes made, bolster the quality of

Ross Memorial Hospital, a healthcare organization based out of Ontario, Canada, had a problem. While it was effectively managing both high- and low-risk patients in the emergency room, those with mid-level injuries (such as bone fractures, kidney stones and serious cuts) tended to wait longer for care. For any healthcare agency, delivering high-quality, fast care

ThedaCare, a community health system based in Wisconsin, faced the same challenges that other organizations in the sector have encountered in recent years – new regulations, an influx of new patients, aging patients who require more care and rising costs, among others. To deal with the situation, ThedaCare opted to turn to Lean healthcare. For

Lean manufacturing is a very old set of philosophies and mindsets, dating back to World War II-era Japan. However, it has traditionally been relegated to manufacturing-related businesses, such as automakers or furniture factories. It wasn't until more recently that business leaders began deploying these practices in other fields, which gave rise to approaches such as

Salem Health, a hospital based out of Salem, Oregon, is a massive organization with multiple locations. With each clinic seeing more people as the American population ages and requires more care, the healthcare firm realized it would need to streamline operations. After deciding the collaborative nature of Kaizen and Lean healthcare would be the best

A government-run healthcare program based in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan has made a big investment in helping local hospitals and practices make the switch to Lean healthcare. The province recently inked a $38 million contract with Kaizen consultants to assist in Lean integration over the next four years. Government officials have wanted to overhaul