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.
Leaner, but Not Meaner | workforce.com It’s always nice to see a headline NOT using the cute (but usually inaccurate) “lean and mean” construct. It’s especially nice to see it in the context of a smaller hospital, Meadows Regional Medical…
JS Online: Tending to improvements in health care Here’s a nice overview article about the Lean efforts of the ThedaCare health system in Wisconsin. Some highlights: ThedaCare estimates that its work to improve efficiency in 2005 and 2006 cut costs…
To build a better hospital, Virginia Mason takes lessons from Toyota plants A number of you emailed me about the above article that was featured in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer about Virginia Mason Medical Center, a hospital that’s seen as one…
I don’t know how many of you are LinkedIn users, but I’ve found it to be a very helpful and professional networking tool. If you’re a member and want to connect on there, just let me know in your invite…
Sometimes, I have a collection of news stories or links that I either don’t have time to blog about, assume you don’t have time to read about, or don’t really merit a full blog post. So my “WIP” of “draft”…
Dennis Quaid Recounts Twins’ Drug Ordeal, Actor Tells 60 Minutes’ Steve Kroft Medical Errors Kill Thousands – CBS News Did you see the actor Dennis Quaid on 60 Minutes last week? He talked about the sad case where his twin…
I got a question from a reader and Theory of Constraints fan: “One of the topics that I’m struggling with is the relationship between Kaizen and TOC. When Norman Bodek talks about the savings people have gotten through Kaizen, does…
Sometimes people ask me, “how does Lean apply in a hospital?” The critical issues in a hospital are more often about culture and environment (although using technical lean methods for improving processes and flow are important also). Many hospitals, unfortunately,…
Carter streamlines production – Fort Worth Business Press I had a chance, last year, to take some local hospital clients to Carter to see their blood processing operations. So, it’s nice to see them recognized for their Lean efforts. It…
Hospital’s shake-up gives nurses more time Here’s a nice news article about the use of Lean in a hospital in New Zealand (hat tip to Michael for sending it to me). Middlemore Hospital is the first in the country to…
Auto industry process revs up efficiency No, not a hospital for moose — a hospital in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada. The Five Hills Health Region is revving up speed in providing mental health services and lab tests for patients —…
A tour of a LEAN-inspired clinical laboratory | DailyKaizen Here’s a nice story by Dr. Ted Eytan about a lab that a colleague of mine worked with in their Lean efforts. It is actually a lab that is mentioned briefly…