Editor’s note (2026): This post remains highly relevant as organizations increasingly rely on algorithmic scheduling, utilization targets, and AI-driven workforce planning. TL;DR: Zeynep Ton’s Good Jobs Strategy shows that cutting labor costs creates a vicious cycle of poor performance. In…
In American healthcare, there’s a growing gap between hospitals and clinics that are being innovative and those who are stuck in the “way it’s always been done” mode. For example, innovative primary care clinics are using a combination of better…
TL;DR: Lean is often misunderstood. It’s not about rushing patients, cutting staff, or blindly installing tools. When practiced properly, Lean is fundamentally patient-centered, focused on safety, quality, and respect for people. When organizations have bad experiences, that usually reflects poor…
TL;DR: Lean works across factories, hospitals, startups, and services because it’s built on shared mindsets, not tools. These include customer focus, respect for people, going to the gemba, avoiding blame, solving problems at the root, and resisting “command and control.”…
Joining me for episode #222 of the podcast is Erin S. DuPree, M.D., FACOG, the Chief Medical Officer and Vice President for the Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare. Dr. DuPree is an OB/GYN by training, was previously the Chief Medical…
In my first post about the on-site Kaizen learning experience at Franciscan St. Francis Health, an event I came to call “Kaizen Live,” I wrote about some of the initial presentations and discussions from Franciscan leaders. You can also see…
Following up on yesterday’s post on seemingly successful experiments with ACOs, here’s another article, from HBR, on “safety huddles” in healthcare: “How Every Hospital Should Start the Day“ I’ve seen some hospitals using daily safety huddles. It sends a powerful message…
Last Wednesday and Thursday, I collaborated with Joe Swartz and a countless number of his colleagues to host 24 visitors from different health systems (and an Indiana state government organization) to learn about the “Kaizen” approach to continuous improvement first hand…
Back in 2007, I had my first opportunity to travel to England, a country I really love visiting. I had the chance to attend the “First Global Lean Healthcare Summit” that was produced by Dan Jones and the Lean Enterprise…
The One Thing Lean Six Sigma Gets Wrong About Lean? Mark’s Note: Today’s post is by Erwin van der Koogh, who is based in Australia. The thoughts and opinions here are his, though I agree with enough of them to…
Hi, Dr. Les Muda here. You might know me from DoctorMuda.com and my occasional “guest appearances” here, including the one post I was brave enough to write here at LeanBlog.org under my own name. Be sure to check out my new…
You Still Have Time to Register Update — you can also learn more and register for our April 2016 event via www.KaizenLive.com. Joe Swartz and I have been planning the first-ever workshop (a conference of sorts) where people can come…