Poka Yoke (Mistake Proofing)

Japanese term that means mistake proofing. To avoid (yokeru) inadvertent errors (poka).

A Poka Yoke device is one that prevents incorrect parts of a process from being worked or easily identifies a flaw or error.

• Any method that can help caregivers or operators avoid mistakes
• The Lean Healthcare concept recognizes that the optimal location to prevent or correct mistakes is at the point of creation of the problem.
• Late recognition of a mistake or defect is never as efficient and typically has a cumulative effect.

Poka-yoke - 'mistake-proofing', a means of providing a visual or other signals to indicate a characteristic state. Often referred to as 'error-proofing', poke-yoke is actually the first step in truly error-proofing a system. Error proofing is a technique of preventing errors by designing the process, equipment, and tools so that a procedure literally cannot be performed incorrectly.

HPP's Mistake Proofing Philosophy

• Believes that a zero defect process is possible when using Lean Healthcare tools.
• Promotes defect prevention vs. defect detection
• Recognizes that people forget and make errors; also machines/processes fail and make errors
• Respect the intelligence of workers by taking the judgment out of repetitive tasks where errors are likely to occur
• Utilizes people working in the process to mistake proof the work because the own the process.