If a Surgeon or Hospital Puts Quantity over Quality, Why Call it a… Mark Graban Feb 23, 2017 9 Blog I get worked up about labeling a troubled surgical department as "a factory," but there are far more important…
Why Would a New Healthcare CEO Kill a Lean Program? Mark Graban Apr 30, 2016 23 Audio Back in September 2015, I wrote a post ("Learning to be Lean" - An Inside Look at a Rapid Improvement Event") that…
Podcast #215 – John Ervin, Lean & Patient Safety in the Operating Room Mark Graban Feb 12, 2015 0 Blog John Ervin in 2022 Today's guest is my friend John Ervin and we were able to sit down together here in!-->!-->!-->!-->!-->…
Guest Post: Poka Yoke… When It’s Personal Mark Graban Oct 8, 2014 4 Blog Mark's Note: Today's guest post is by Chris Burnham. I invited him to write this after I saw him share his…
Podcast #195 – Steve Montague, Lean + TeamSTEPPS for Patient Safety Mark Graban Mar 3, 2014 4 Interviews Joining me for episode #195 is my friend Steve Montague from LifeWings. Steve and I met initially through!-->!-->!-->!-->!-->…
Some Mature & Wise High School Students on Preventable Medical Errors Mark Graban Oct 15, 2013 4 Blog Near home in San Antonio, I had a chance to volunteer last Friday, speaking for an hour to a group of high…
How Often Does This Get Repeated? CMS and the Underpants Gnomes Mark Graban Sep 5, 2013 9 Blog I've recently heard of a scenario in healthcare that I suspect is pretty common, or at least it's not the!-->!-->!-->…
My Trip to the Apple Store was Like a Hospital Visit Mark Graban Apr 26, 2012 10 Blog I generally love the Apple Stores for their customer service and environment, as a primary Mac user for the past…
A Nice Kaizen Example from the PACU Mark Graban Jan 17, 2012 0 Blog "Kaizen" is a Japanese word that means "change for the better" in the context of ongoing "continuous improvement."!-->…
Lean in Hospitals: Which Tool or Which Need? Mark Graban Oct 6, 2011 7 Blog As people first learn about Lean, they often ask questions like "what tools or methods should we use first?" These…
Video Presentation on Reducing Healthcare Waste & Improving Care Mark Graban Aug 2, 2011 1 Blog Last week, I posted a podcast with Mike George, founder of Strong America Now, an organization that is…
Don’t Speed Up or Improve a Workaround Process – Fix the System Mark Graban Nov 2, 2010 6 Blog Hospitals are full of workarounds and fire fighting, it's a pretty common problem. That's one reason cost is so…
My Interview with Justin Holland, of GE Healthcare Mark Graban Sep 2, 2010 0 Blog Today's post is an interview I conducted via email with Justin Holland, Managing Principal of GE Healthcare…
Hospital Advertises 3-Second Savings – Will the Public Care? Mark Graban Jul 28, 2010 11 Blog Hat tip to Helen Z. for finding this full-page print ad in the New York Times. The full ad appears below in this…
Happy Birthday Frank Gilbreth; Reducing Waste in Hospitals… Green is Lean Mark Graban Jul 7, 2010 1 Blog Today, July 7, is the birthday of Frank Gilbreth, born this day in 1868. While some of his methods arguably ranked…
Akron Children’s Hospital Embraces Lean Mark Graban Jan 31, 2010 2 Blog Here is an article that discusses the adoption of Lean methods at Akron Children's Hospital ("Hospital embraces…
Lean Materials Management Improves Hospital Service, Bottom Line Mark Graban Nov 12, 2009 1 Blog Lean... and saving green - Materials Management in Healthcare Mag Here's an article in a healthcare trade…
Why it Took 15 Years for Common Sense to be Accepted – Medical Journal… Mark Graban Nov 10, 2009 3 Blog Frank and Lillian Gilbreth: scientific management in the operating room I sprung $20 for this healthcare journal…