Healthcare improvement isn’t about working harder—it’s about better systems, better leadership, and a culture that supports learning and speaking up. This archive brings together blog posts, podcasts, and reflections on Lean healthcare, patient safety, quality improvement, leadership, and continuous improvement. Many of these posts draw on real hospital experiences and lessons from Deming, Toyota, and frontline healthcare teams, with a consistent emphasis on respect for people and learning from mistakes.
Thanks to XM Radio, I was able to listen to Sunday’s Detroit Red Wings playoff game and the WJR radio broadcast from Detroit (the “great voice of the Great Lakes”). I heard a commercial a few times that I managed…
Lean Enterprise Academy Events; Lean Healthcare Transformation Summit 2009 I’m fortunate that I’ll be attending this July summit in London, run by Dan Jones and the UK-based Lean Enterprise Academy. If you’re attending, be sure to let me know so…
I spent a few days in Puerto Rico back in March visiting a few hospitals and giving a talk at the University of Turabo, south of San Juan. I was honored to speak to an audience that included the Dean…
Lean Leap to Health Care #5 (click for Part #4) by Scott McDuffee Why do we call a customer a patient in Health Care? Is it because the customer must be patient given all the waiting? After almost two months…
So I’m finally watching the DVR-ed episode from March 10, 2009, that gave widespread exposure to the issue of medical mistakes. Oprah began the show by citing the statistic that errors cause more deaths than “breast cancer, AIDS, and car…
I’ve struck a chord with a few nurses with this post from late last year: Why Do Hospitals Have to Rely on Vigilant Patients and Families? I asked: I’ve written before about my questions of why so many hospitals abdicate…
LeanBlog Podcast #65 is a discussion with Kevin Frieswick, a Lean Process Manager, with MetroWest Medical Center in Framingham, MA. I found Kevin earlier this year when I discovered their YouTube video about innovations at MWMC, which included a unique…
Lean Leap to Health Care #3 (click for Part #2) by Scott McDuffee It would seem to be an efficient method to move into Health Care to PUSH my resume to as many potential employers as possible – thus increasing…
New Yankee Stadium a winner, team a big loser to Tribe 10-2 – USATODAY.com If you’re not a Yankees fan, let’s kick them while they’re down (losing 22-4 Saturday). As the kid Nelson from the Simpsons would say, Haw-HA! The…
I found a few articles lately about Lean being implemented in some Ohio hospitals, so I’ll share two of them here. Crescent-News.com – Hospitals headed to the ER? This first article focuses more on the problems faced by Ohio hospitals…
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…
Why ‘Quality’ Care Is Dangerous – WSJ.com Yesterday’s WSJ opinion piece by Dr. Jerome Goopman (author of How Doctors Think) and Pamela Hartzband caught my eye. Thanks to the four or five of you who also emailed me the link…