North Carolina Center for
Hospital Quality and Patient Safety

Lean Healthcare

The NC Quality Center in partnership with The Industrial Extension Service (IES) at NC State University are working together with healthcare organizations throughout North Carolina to transform patient care using Lean methodology. This partnership brings together industry experts in Lean healthcare with the strength of a statewide program for quality and patient safety to ensure that NC healthcare organizations have the knowledge and skills needed to cross the quality chasm into the 21st century of healthcare.

What is Lean Healthcare?
Lean healthcare is a systematic approach to aligning work at each level and step of the healthcare organization or patient experience. Whether building a car or providing health care for a patient, employees must rely on multiple, complex processes to accomplish their tasks and provide value to the customer or patient. Waste of money, time, supplies, or good will decreases value. Adopting and applying Lean thinking in health care, when applied rigorously and throughout an entire organization, can have a positive impact on productivity, cost, quality, and timely delivery of services.

Lean is not merely a new set of tools and techniques to try on the hospital floor, in the examination room or medical records; lean is a fundamental change in how people in your health care organization think and approach problems. Lean is a common set of beliefs and principles that focus on what is really of value

Lean methods have been used to reduce patient waiting times, improve the availability of supplies, make handoffs safer, decrease medication errors, increase efficiency in the pharmacy and lab, to tackle hospital acquired infections, just to name a few. The same Lean principles that have saved countless businesses enormous time, energy, and money can revolutionize your health care operation.

Lean Healthcare 200: Applying the Fundamentals
A 2-day, introductory course focused on the fundamental principles of Lean as well as the basic tools most organizations use to start their Lean journey. Participants will be led through an interactive simulation of a healthcare process to allow hands-on application and practice of the Lean tools and methodology.
Download the flyer

Topics Covered Include:
• Value Stream Mapping
• 5S
• Standard Work
• A3 for problem solving
• Kaizen 10-step process

Lean Healthcare 300: Facilitator Training
A 3 day course designed to give participants the information and training needed to facilitate successful kaizen events in their healthcare organizations. Lean Healthcare 300 contains team breakout sessions, simulations, exercises and other hands-on activities designed to reinforce learning and to give participants the opportunity to practice facilitation skills. Completion of Lean 200: Applying the Fundamentals, is a prerequisite for this course. Lean Healthcare 300 takes a deep dive into kaizen events, planning, execution, and follow-up needed to have successful kaizen implementation.

Topics Covered Include:
• Deep dive into kaizen methodology
• How to facilitate a kaizen team
• Key components to a successful kaizen event
• Do's and dont's of kaizen events
• How to handle difficult situations that might derail a kaizen event

Lean Healthcare Teleconferences
We invite you to join this open forum teleconference, facilitated by the Lean Healthcare faculty at NC State, to discuss the application of lean methodology in healthcare and to reinforce principles taught in Lean Healthcare courses. This will also be a great opportunity to get feedback on your efforts or plans to bring Lean improvement strategies to your organization. There is no charge to attend.

Upcoming Events

Lean Healthcare 200: Applying the Fundamentals
Sept 19-20, 2012
North Carolina Hospital Association, Cary, NC

Resources

Lean Healthcare 200: Applying the Fundamentals

Lean Healthcare 300: Facilitator Training

For information about Lean Healthcare and upcoming events, contact Dean Higgins at 919-677-4212.

For more information about the services provided by the Industrial Extension Service (IES) at NC State University, go to www.ies.ncsu.edu/leanhealthcare.