Batched @ the Hospital

Lean Leap to Health Care #2
(click for Part #1)

by Scott McDuffee

Greeted by a guy in a royal blue volunteer's jacket, I was directed to the volunteer manager's office. I remember thinking hospitals seem a lot friendlier when you are not there to be treated for some acute ailment or injury.

I met with the manager of volunteer services; the one I had heard positive things about from the softball parent.We discussed the various opportunities for volunteering. I was forthright in my interest to not only help people but also to observe the inner-workings and challenges of the hospital (I didn't say “gemba” but I was thinking it).

We concluded that I might be well suited as a “Rounder”. A Rounder, appropriately, is someone who makes rounds. With obvious limitations on actions requiring a medically trained person, these volunteers visit the patients to”: 1) greet them, 2) ask about their experience, 3) ask to help record any challenges they are experiencing. BINGO!

This sounded perfect for my need to learn the language of a hospital as well as begin to mentally apply lean principles to these opportunities. I knew if I went to gemba with a questioning mind, the hospital would speak to me. I was really excited.

The volunteer manager must have recognized my exuberance when she re-emphasized the limitations of my role. I would have to constantly remind myself that I was just a volunteer; I would lose the job if I tried to lead a cross-functional A3 team to solve the biggest problems facing patient care. This aspect would be really challenging after years of being the change agent but I was ready to start.

I filled out the required paperwork assuming this would lead to an assignment to the volunteer schedule. Then, I was told to plan on orientation three weeks away. OUCH! Twenty-one days out seemed extreme; yet, there was an explanation. “Orientations are time consuming so we try to only do them once a month.”

I HAD BEEN BATCHED! Aha! See, I am seeing opportunities already.

Click for Part 3: Networking with Bison and Doctors

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• About
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Scott McDuffee

Scott is a Lean Change Leader who has worked in multiple manufacturing sectors. He blogged primarily about his steps taken to investigate switching into healthcare in 2009.

Latest posts by Scott McDuffee (see all)

• Right Words, Right Time @ the Hospital - June 18, 2009
• F.S. Production System - June 12, 2009
• Lean Leap to Healthcare: Hospital Sabbatical - June 10, 2009