Monthly Archives: April 2011

Michigan Hospitals Cut VAP Rates 70% Using Checklists

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Here's a great story from my home state where I grew up, Michigan: "Hospital checklist helps pneumonia rates tumble by 70%." From the article: Ventilator-associated pneumonia...

Doofus and Leanie Cartoon #4 – GM vs. Toyota

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It has been a while since I've collaborated with artist Ed Butler on a "Doofus and Leanie" cartoon (Ed was also the artist for...

Everybody Deserves Workplace Respect – Even the T.S.A.

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As somebody who flies about 75,000 miles a year, I am far too acquainted with the Transportation Security Administration and their annoyances (to the...

Healthcare Value Leaders Network: Podcasts and More

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Here's a quick update on some of our latest projects in the Healthcare Value Leaders Network. Our 2nd annual Lean Healthcare Transformation Summit in June...

Talk Preview – “Why Your Hospital Should be Like a Factory… Or At Least...

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When hospital people say they don't want to be a factory or "we don't want assembly-line medicine," the statement often goes unchallenged. What is...

It’s Harder to Tolerate Waste “When You Know What Good Looks Like…”

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I recently "fired" my primary care physician. I'm lucky to not have to go to the doctor very often, but the last few times...

HealthLeaders Article: Systemwide Process Improvement

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It's great to see Lean mentioned in mainstream healthcare management publications, such as the article in HealthLeaders (print and online) called "Systemwide Process Improvement."...

Revisiting Taxis, Medical Errors, and Systemic Problems

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You might have read my blog post from last week about an unsafe taxi driver and medical errors -  Said the Unsafe Taxi Driver,...

“For the Record:” Reducing Healthcare Costs through Better Quality & Better Process

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Thanks to the healthcare information magazine "For the Record" for accepting my article on Lean Healthcare. As usual, I wasn't given the chance to...

Funny Six Sigma Parody Site: ISSISSIPPI.org

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I stumbled across this site a few week ago and would have shared it for April Fools' Day if I hadn't presented a joke...

Lessons from a Crazy Taxi Ride: Improving Processes in Unpredictable Environments

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When I was leaving the recent Shingo Prize conference, last week, I had what can only be described as a taxi ride from hell...

Questions about and Lessons from a Steering Wheel Falling Off

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In the news yesterday, a General Motors recall over what could be just one isolated steering wheel problem in an Ohio-built Chevrolet (don't call...