The Lean Hospital

More facilities using Toyota methods to improve every step of care from inventory to discharge

by Carol Berczuk

What does being lean have to do with operating a hospital Well when youre talking about the lean method known as the Toyota Production System it just may be what puts hospitals back in the drivers seat of their bottom lines

Six years ago few hospital administrators had ever heard the term Today what began as an experiment at Seattles Virginia Mason Medical Center is sweeping through cashstrapped hospitals across the country

Originally envisioned by the Japanese automaker as a way of doing more with less the muchcopied management system is becoming the gold standard for US hospitals They are betting that going Toyota lean will streamline processes increase employee satisfaction improve their finances and most importantly enhance patient care

Date : 23 Feb, 2012
Reference : www.cdhb.govt.nz/chc/

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