I had a chance yesterday to get a presentation on the use of Lean process improvement techniques and philosophy in our catheterization lab. This is a very busy place where diagnostic and interventional cardiologists string catheters through people's blood vessels to evaluate the extent of cardiovascular disease, open up blockages, and extend lives.
Tech Kenny Lee and nurse Eric Harrington, along with Kimberly Eng from our Business Transformation group, led me through the analysis that has been done of the current state and the proposed future state. There will be dramatic improvements in the quality of people's work day as a result. In addition, staff and patient safety in and around radiation-rich areas will be enhanced. There have already been substantial improvements in inventory control, too, leading to major cost reductions. The renovations of the space and continued reorganization of supplies and equipment designed during the Lean process will take place in the coming weeks.
Here's a video tour. If you cannot see the video, click here.
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4 comments:
The actual measurement of the steps taken by all, and the 'aha' moment that produced, illustrates the value of the seemingly nitpicky aspects of the Lean method. It also helps to have a videographer CEO, who both saves money on that, and provides us with an actual view of what is to be improved. (:
Parenthetically, I always found unit-based educators to be the best ones with whom to work in cross-departmental projects from the laboratory; that position has been the best invention ever!!
Paul, as always thanks for sharing this.
Much to applaud here - the staff engagement and their control over this process, the focus on employee and patient safety (with the radiation), the plans to make this more flexible for patient needs (not rigidly standard)... the planned improvements and time savings will undoubtedly translate into patient outcomes, waiting times, and cost once the new future state is put in place.
I can't wait to see those results and I can't wait to see the continued improvements and kaizen of that new process.
Paul, as I've commented before, Lean in health care is about the most cheering and hopeful topic around. In my next life if I'm not a writer again I'll definitely be a Lean instructor. Thank you so much for the post.
Jane
From Facebook:
Thank you for sharing this. Its great to see the video and hear from the folks who are making the changes happen! Appreciate all the transformational work that you are doing!
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