Toyota's New Line of Products... Hospitals?

The adoption of lean initiatives within the healthcare industry has gained some notoriety in the mainstream press, and I'm sure most lean advocates can't rejoice enough. Many would agree that the ultimate victims of the built-in process variation and waste within the systems of the healthcare industry, from hospitals to suppliers, are the consumers. And, unlike nice-to-have products such as cars and computers, most customers don't have such luxuries as time and choice when "shopping" for healthcare services and products.

A article recently appeared here about the improvements the University of Michigan Health System have achieved after adopting a Toyota-styled approach to administrative and operating process. I think the most important statement about the future of this lean initiative can be summed up in this one quote from Jack Weiner, CEO of St. Joseph Mercy: “We do not view lean as a program. They are cultural transformations because you change how you do the work.” I think it's refreshing that, other than talking about the improvements gained early in the adoption, one of the pivotal leaders is already acknowledging that lean is as much about thinking as it is doing.

What do you think will be the biggest challenges to the adoption of lean in the healthcare industry? Do you think the initial resistance could come from physicians and practitioners who could argue that a lean transformation will ultimately stall because patients will never be "products" and believe that the drive for ultimate efficiency will overlook the nuances and hinder the customized needs of the patients?

Book Talk: Healthcare Delivery in the USA

With growing interest in applying lean concepts to healthcare, one trend we’ve seen is that people from other industries who have lean knowledge are being hired for healthcare jobs.

But every industry has its own issues and terminology, and when you are switching industries, you need to know the issues and terminology necessary for your new job.

Healthcare Delivery in the U.S.A.: An Introduction to Hospitals, Health Systems and Other Providers of Care by Margaret Schulte is the guide you need. It provides a much-needed orientation to the broader healthcare work environment for those working in hospitals or as vendors and manufacturers.

And it provides that orientation in the context of current healthcare issues – financial, legal, regulatory and workforce.

Schulte is an associate professor in the Graduate Program in Health Administration at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and she serves as editor for Frontiers in Health Services Management, a publication of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Do you have a question or comment about a book(s) that you would like addressed in Book Talk? Email me directly at Ralph.bernstein@taylorandfrancis.com.