Lean Healthcare Philosophy

Lean Healthcare is a concept that is permeating the consciousness of healthcare professionals. In an industry that is struggling with skyrocketing costs, nursing shortages and poor employee satisfaction, lean healthcare can eliminate many obstacles such as cumbersome I.T. solutions, worker frustration and patient safety risks caused by inadvertent errors and oversights.

Lean philosophies have direct application to healthcare institutions. It is essential that healthcare organizations work with an experienced resource like Healthcare Performance Partners (HPP). Healthcare Performance Partners can help guide your organization through the lean healthcare process and only apply tools that will provide tangible and sustainable results.

HPP provides to its clients a number of Lean Healthcare related services:

• Lean Healthcare Design & Implementation
• Value Stream development (Visualizing/Documenting “how” your particular process works presently and should work from the Customers perspective)
• Kaizen Events- A tool for major improvement
• 5-S Events for efficient workplace organization
• Process standardization and visual workplace design
• Mistake proofing development and Poka-Yoke tools
• Changeover optimization of rooms and resources
• Six Sigma healthcare projects(HPP Black Belt trained associates)
• Lean Healthcare and Six Sigma integrations
• Lean Metrics design & development
• Pull systems and “Flow” healthcare solutions
• Visual workplace design
• Simulation tools for new processes
• Quality solutions

The basics of Lean Healthcare

Lean Healthcare principles are specifically applicable to improving a broad range of operating processes found in every healthcare organization:

• Admitting/Discharge
• Internal patient flow within and between departments
• Operating room turnover
• Scheduling processes and systems
• Workplace disorganization
• Medical Records
• Inventory (supplies) control
• Administrative processes and billing
• Equipment availability
• Shift change processes
• Pharmacy and Laboratory work flows and turnaround times
• Emergency Room work throughput
• Clinical Processes
• HR/Hiring Processes
• Med/Surg floor improvement
• A/R & A/P Processes
• Discharge Processes

Healthcare Performance Partners (HPP) involves client teams in learning, applying, analyzing and making Lean Healthcare disciplines a regular part of the operating philosophy of the organization. Once organizations have experienced the positive impact and outcomes of Lean Healthcare, then teams are better able to understand and implement these strategies, either with HPP or on their own. Thus developing a culture that includes this renewable source of success within the organization.

“The HPP team's ability to achieve buy-in from our management team and our Associates was a key factor in the success of our Lean Healthcare initiatives.” William T. Sugg, President & CEO Sumner Regional Health Systems

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