Lean in Health Care Description
Objectives
The Iowa Healthcare Collaborative (IHC) recognizes that many health care providers in Iowa have successfully implemented Lean process improvement within their organizations. These providers have many success stories of more efficient care delivery and better resource allocation. IHC hopes to encourage more Iowa health care providers to implement Lean, and has a goal of expanding the number of hospitals using Lean for improvement.
In August of 2006 the first Lean in Health Care toolkit was deployed to all Iowa hospitals, and was made available online. An updated and expanded toolkit will be distributed again in 2008 to Iowa hospital CEOs and quality leaders, physician leaders and medical group managers. Additionally, IHC will convene the 3rd Annual Lean Conference along with the 2nd Lean Learning Community, with a focus on aligning the Lean initiative with the Healthcare-associated infection initiative to accelerate improvement in HAI.
IHC would like its efforts to create greater awareness of Lean in the Iowa health care community. Additionally, IHC hopes that these process improvement tools will spark meaningful, lasting dialogue among the state's providers. This communication should successfully link those new to Lean and other process improvement techniques and those who have successfully implemented them within their organizations. IHC hopes this sharing of ideas will stretch beyond this project and into other meaningful arenas.
Project Team
The project team includes Lean experts from across the state including representatives from manufacturing and industry, the education sector, Iowa government, and several healthcare facilities.
Construction Process
The Lean toolkit was originally constructed in 2006 by a project team who worked with IHC staff to identify resources and tools for inclusion in this toolkit. The team's excellent background contributed to a thoughtful and beneficial list of toolkit materials. The development of this toolkit, combined with the 2006 Lean in Health Care conference, provided a solid framework for Lean implementation in more health care organizations.
Status
Lean continues to gain momentum across the state and is becoming infused in the culture of Iowa's healthcare organizations. We are continuing to update and expand this toolkit as more and more organizations are realizing gains by implementing this methodology. In addition to the 2008 Lean Conference and the Lean Learning Community, we hope this tool kit will be a complementary resource to those utilizing Lean within their organization.
View the IHC toolkits and their contents.
Resources for providers to ensure safe and effective long-term anticoagulation therapy in all care settings.
Information on how to deploy the NQF 30 Safe Practices.
Information that discusses how to better communicate medical information to patients.
Information on the monitoring and reporting of HAIs.
This process improvement method can help providers deliver more efficient care that saves resources and improves quality.
Details on the principles and components of a patient centered medical home, including the business case and how to become one.
Resources for providers to avoid adverse drug events.
Resources for the safe administration of narcotics and opioids.
Information and resources for providers in their efforts to assist patients with tobacco cessation.
