Lean Principles Applied to Healthcare Workflow
April 3rd, 2008 by Jon Mertz
(3 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)
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Just recently, I wrote about how workflow discussions are frequent, and sometimes it is easy to lose sight of what needs to be simply done. In the current issue of Health Management Technology, there is an interesting article of how Meadows Regional Medical Center applied lean manufacturing principles to their workflow. The article is entitled Leaning Towards Efficiency, and is written by the hospital CEO, Alan Kent.
The hospital worked with Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute and focused on improving the Emergency Department (ED) workflow.
In healthcare IT, it is great to read about how workflow projects are undertaken in a straightforward way and achieve significant results in a short time period. As the article states:
“The lean team at Meadow’s developed 44 action items for reducing lead time to admit, treat and discharge a non-critical ED patient, 18 of which were determined to be low cost and high impact.”
The results, according to the Georgia Tech press release:
“… a 44 percent reduction in average length of stay per patient, a 10 percent boost in patients served and a 92 percent patient satisfaction rate.”
Great work!
Last 5 posts by Jon Mertz
- Healthcare Unbound Conference Insights - July 15th, 2008
- Electronic Medical Record Perspectives Grow - June 27th, 2008
- EMRs for Free... Really? - June 23rd, 2008
- HL7 Continuity of Care Document Quick Start Guide - June 12th, 2008
- Healthcare IT Definitions Released - May 27th, 2008
