Process Management and Mapping
Surviving the global healthcare perfect storm
The authors describe the application of operational planning and capacity management methods to improve patient care, improve revenue, and lower costs. Article
This presentation, from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, provides an introduction to value-stream mapping with the objectives of providing instruction on how to lead a value stream mapping event, identifying value added and non-value added steps, and prioritizing high level opportunities for improvement.
This presentation from the 2011 SHS Conference focuses on the question, "How VSM methodology is successfully used to visualize waste, reduce cost and improve quality in the health care?" It provides various examples of VSM, metrics used to measure the success, and future research direction on the observed gaps found in the literature.
In this presentation at the 2011 SHS Conference, Jonathan Flanders describes how a 400 bed hospital reduced average LOS for Hospitalist patients by 1.0 day using lean concepts applied at the service-line level. The presentation is a comprehensive case study for the application of lean and six sigma tools. The use of multi-level value stream mapping applied to an inpatient care unit will be of particular benefit for readers struggling in this area.
Undergraduates Joshua Wimble, Kristine DeSotto, Casey Krawic and Zachary Theoharidis at WPI completed a project as part of their graduate requirements resulting in a reduction of missing medications at the West Roxbury campus of the VA Hospital.
In this presentation at the 2011 Healthcare Process Improvement Conference, Christian Rizzo of OhioHealth describes a system-wide effort to reduce sternal wound infection by leveraging lean tools such as standard work, process maps, daily gemba walks and performance metrics. OhioHealth was able to standardize care using evidenced-based practices extending from the doctors' offices to case management. This presentation demonstrates how lean tools are utilized and describes how the system was able to sustain a reduction in infections of more than 60 percent.
This paper presented at the 2011 SHS conference by Sandra Garrett, Clemson University, and Ashley Benedict, Purdue University; describes a human factors perspective of information flows based on the increasing complexity in healthcare. The presenters introduce a novel model for addressing this complexity and demonstrate application of the model with a case study in an outpatient prescribing process.
Part 1 & Part 2
From Internet Archive website, these films are essentially a summary of work analysis films which were taken by Frank B. Gilbreth between 1910 and 1924 showing a number of industrial operations from which the motion study technique was developed.
This movie is part of the collection: Prelinger Archives.
Producer: Presented by James S. Perkins in collaboration with Dr. Lillian M. Gilbreth & Dr. Ralph M. Barnes
Sponsor: Chicago Chapter of the Society for the Advancement of Management
Evaluation of industrial engineering students' competencies for process improvement in hospitals
In an article recently published in the Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management, the authors concluded that while IE students working in hospitals focused on technical approaches to improvement, mastery and application of softer skills may be more beneficial.
At a recent Premier Breakthroughs Conference and Exhibition, clinical and performance improvement staff at the 370-bed Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, New York presented a case study of improvement on a nursing unit using the TCAB model.
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre is considering implementing recommendations made by three fourth-year students at the University of Windsor Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering as part of their capstone project. Ben de Mendonca, Josh Vandermeer and Andrew Phibbs, conducted an intensive examination of the system used by the emergency department to collect and label patient blood samples.
In a recent presentation at the 2011 SHS Conference, Brian H. Fillipo delivered a presentation on a comprehensive approach to reducing patient falls across seven Bon Secours hospitals in Virginia.
In an article previously published in Industrial Engineer magazine, industrial engineering researchers at Clemson University assisted Cannon Memorial Hospital in Pickens, S.C., in a number of hospital-wide and service specific improvements resulting in increased efficiency.
Discusses the increasing importance of case management in reducing costs and improving reimbursement in the current environment.
A case study of a centralized patient tracking system at Sentara Careplex Hospital in Hampton, Va. The case study shows how Sentara was able to reduce patient registration labor by over 50 percent and save over $300,000 per year.
A recent article in AORN Management Connections by Carina Stanton describes how three healthcare organizations are implementing lean.
In this 2010 presentation at the Dartmouth School of Engineering, SHS contributor and past president, James Benneyan, Ph.D., from the School of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at Northeastern University discusses that challenges of measuring performance of evidenced-based medicine and provides solutions to address these challenges.
A case study for reducing workplace noise on a pediatric nursing unit and maintaining appropriate noise levels.
Industrial engineering principles are applied in improving patient flow at Odessa's Medical Center Hospital in Texas.
The authors provide a description of improvements in blood transfusion processing by applying Lean concepts at 14 different laboratories in three different countries. Average savings per site was over $190,000 excluding savings associated with improved inventory management.
Using Lean Six Sigma tools, a hospital redesigns its PAT department process so that all charting is completed 72 hours prior to the day of surgery.
Management Engineering: What is it?
One hospital details improvements to their medical equipment retrieval, cleaning, and distribution process.
Using Lean Six Sigma tools, a hospital redesigns and implements new ICU protocols for patients on mechanical ventilation. The article details how the initial sustainability effort failed, but was brought back into long-run control.
Physician and Nursing roles and responsibilities within a PICU are redefined using lean tools to decrease LOS while increasing outcomes.
Pressure Ulcer, Falls, Catheter-Associated UTI, Central Line Infection, and Objects Left in Surgery are addressed using process improvement methodologies.
This article studies the work processes of nurses involved in the administration of medication. The goal is to reduce errors and improve efficiency.
Lean tools and simulation are used to recommend improvements to HIM operational processes.
Methods of measuring work done by skilled labor are discussed
When applying value stream mapping, don't forget that sometimes patients will need to be grouped just like part families - and each of those may need a unique VSM.
Queuing simulation results are applied to healthcare problems.
A CT scan department has its demand smoothed.
A blog post discusses process flows used to battle pandemic illness.
Discussion of applications of lean within the OR.
Future advances in medical devices and informatics within health care IT are described in this article.
Improvement projects in surgery, nursing, and the ED are discussed. The process of moving a hospital towards adoption of Lean Six Sigma is also described.
A methodology for standardized evaluation of the financial impact of operational and patient care improvements is discussed.
An ED lean project is discussed, highlighting some advantages that undergraduates can bring when partnered with professionals in the field.
Several change management projects are covered in brief, moving rapidly through high-level descriptions of problem / intervention / impact steps.
Detailed description of a lean project to improve TAT in the CT Scan department.
In a for-profit ambulatory surgical center, the current scheduling method often results in cases starting later than the initial plan. The presentation describes an implementation of clustering as well as multiple simulations of different possibilities.
The surgical admitting process is targeted with a lean event. Current and future state is described, the process of improvement is shown, and results are discussed.
Three successful lean projects are discussed in detail. The ED, Radiology, and HR departments all show significant improvement.
Three successful lean projects are discussed in detail. Specimen Labeling, Surgery and Endoscopy Pre-Op, and Inpatient Nursing Crash Cart projects all demonstrate significant improvement.
Results of a hospital-wide specimen labeling lean project is discussed.
A study is done to improve the communication between and expense of the nursing staff associated with all imaging modalities.
A lean event focused on patient flow out of the ED was conducted, and results are discussed
All processes in an ED are redesigned, with multiple outcomes showing improvement.
A 100,000 annual visit hospital ED is redesigned using lean principles. Wait times decrease and pt satisfaction and revenue increases. Simulation shows further viability of new processes. This presentation is made by a MD who became a lean coach.
This is an overview of several lean redesign projects in the ED with overall solutions discussed and analyzed.
ED throughput process improvement projects are discussed. The presenter is a MD. Several changes are shown with great results.
A Lean Six Sigma project focusing on ICU throughput times is completed. Lessons learned and successes are shared.
A discussion of the importance of metric and measurement accuracy during execution of improvement projects.
A performance improvement team tackles a call center. Issues and lessons learned are discussed.
An OR's case scheduling process is studied; improvement projects are proposed.
A hospital undertakes a systemic improvement of their OR suite. The process and final results are detailed.
A Premier consultant discusses lessons learned from performing many Lean ED projects during her career.
Emergent Care was redesigned to decrease wait time significantly.
Methods of confronting and smoothing the variability of patient flow are discussed.
A lean project generated proposals for rescheduling the providers' workload. During testing of the proposals, daily departmental volume was completed significantly earlier in the day.
4 lean projects were performed - pharmacy, lab, outpatient clinic, and telemetry unit. Each project was meticulously documented in the presentation. Pre- and post- metrics are included, as well as a discussion of sustainability.
Improvements within an HR department are proposed and implemented. Results are examined, as well as a simulation of the process.
A system-wide reporting tool for each cost center is developed and implemented. It is adopted as part of the budgeting process.
Task analysis of an RN's shift on a med/surg unit is performed, using spaghetti maps and other lean tools. Integration of a new medicine delivery system is studied to examine how RN efficiency is affected.
Lean projects at Kaiser Permanente are detailed and discussed. The report is a system-level presentation showing many departmental improvements.
Lean improvements within the radiology suite and laboratory workspace yield notable improvements. Project benefits are discussed.
Two supply cost projects are described, analyzed, and discussed.
Lean principles are utilized during analysis and transformation of a HIM department. Results and lessons learned are discussed.
HR process redesign cuts down the time spent at each process step. Lessons learned, sustainability, and metrics are discussed with the group during this presentation.
Lab collection and processing techniques are examined and improved. Results are discussed.
ED charge capture is a constant problem for hospitals. This presentation covers one system-wide approach to increasing the capture rate.
A pre-registration Internet interface was successfully developed. Lessons learned and sustainability are also discussed.
A pull system is implemented within a surgical suite, saving on inventory cost. Other accomplishments and lessons learned are discussed.
Any organization implementing lean six sigma will experience both success and failure. This presentation describes some of the "growing pains" of one system, as well as a methodical demonstration of the lean tools utilized in their improvement efforts.
Motivation is made for performing lean improvements within the lab.
Payment denials were decreased, resulting in a cost savings of $1.6 million annually. This project steps through the list of improvements made.
Turnarounds and first case starts are improved using a variety of lean techniques. Sustainability, achievement of buy-in and metric details are also discussed.
Lean improvement projects are performed within the supplies delivery function of a surgical services suite.