In manufacturing, quick changeover is studied in detail to reduce the time and effort required to switch from producing one product to another. While healthcare is very different, there are still lessons we can borrow from manufacturing to make transitions between patients smoother and more efficient. Below are five quick changeover tips based on inpatient…

One of the biggest challenges for managers in healthcare is dealing with variation. For most hospital-based clinical departments (nursing, therapy, pharmacy, etc.), no two days are the same. One day may bring a surge of new admissions, while the next brings multiple call-ins or an unusually high number of medically complex patients. Staffing, patient demand,…

If you are planning a major investment in rehabilitation technology (RT) — and “major” is the operative word, as many systems cost between $50,000 and $200,000 — it is important to also invest in its rollout. RT includes advanced rehabilitation tools such as robotic assisted gait trainers, FES cycles, and virtual reality systems, to name…

A process map is a step by step diagram that shows how a good or service is delivered. In healthcare, a process map focuses on how patient care is provided, such as an office visit, therapy appointment, or lab draw, to name a few examples. The process map above came from an emergency room (ER)…

This post digs deeper into the “set in order” step of 5S by introducing kanban. The term kanban comes from Lean/TPS principles and refers to a system for managing inventory. In this post, I use an operating room (OR) as an example of how kanban can help manage inventory effectively. The benefits of kanban include…

If you have ever spent more than five minutes searching for a wheelchair, you have experienced waste. Not the kind of waste that shows up on a report, but the kind that pulls you away from a patient, breaks the rhythm of your treatment, and adds unnecessary frustration to your day. One of the most…

In a prior post, I discussed how value in healthcare should be viewed from the patient’s perspective and usually centers on helping patients feel better. The goal is to do this while also minimizing frustration, improving recovery time, and doing it at a reasonable cost. Process improvement, at its foundation, is about increasing value. It…

Sharing real world examples is one of the most effective ways to learn. In my previous post, I outlined 10 tips for managing change more effectively in healthcare. In this post, I want to bring those ideas to life through a case study. This example focuses on implementing a new patient scheduling application across 30…

At first pass, the definition of value in systems management appears straightforward. However, as this post will discuss, identifying and adding value is not always easy, particularly in healthcare. Jim Womack, author of Lean Thinking, explains that value should be defined from the perspective of the customer. Specifically, value is what the customer wants and…

In a previous post, I discussed how getting to know your team is a strong way to begin your management journey. As you build understanding, relationships, and trust, however, it is natural to want to plan what comes next. The next step in leadership onboarding is rarely straightforward. Every leader, team, and workplace is different.…