"Lean" Health Care????

[willie03]

Hi everyone!

Has anyone here heard of the concept of Lean Health Care? Are any of your hospitals in to this? What has been some of your experiences with the process? Does it work?

My understanding is that this is the term for a new approach to performance/process improvement. I keep hearing about it at my facility and understand it is what we are going be going to in the near future. I have found some information on the net about it, but was just wanting to hear from anyone with first hand experience.

Deb

[niccikatie]

Did special trainers come in to your facility to trained? Or did they send certain ones to a seminar to be trained? Or did they fly by the seats of their pants, which is what I think is going to happen where I am. And did they make the nurses all wear pedometers to prove to cut in steps? LOL! Thanks for the reply>

Yes, we have a whole "Kaizen" department. The chair of my unit will be going to Japan in a month and a half for more training.

Yes, they made nurses wear pedometers. Basically, when they're helping a department, there are people with clip boards watching everything everyone in the department does. They focus on the flow, not what each individual is doing. Then, they find ways to make it flow better. Things can be really, really simple like taking doors off of supply cabinets so everything is visible. Also, marking spots on the floor where pportable equipment goes so it's always put back in the right spot. Things can get way more complex, but even small changes can make a huge difference.

[Wise Woman RN]

take the doors off the supply pyxis?? that in itself would save hours of time... LOL