SHARE:

Email AHRQ

Print

Improving Care Delivery Through Lean: Implementation Case Studies

Exhibit 1.18. Major Factors that Facilitate Lean Success at LHC

Table of Contents

Factor	Lessons learned
Alignment	Executive commitment to Lean and the process improvement framework for the long term was evident by the resources allocated to process improvement, promotion of process improvement experts into management, and the development of a reward system to engage staff.
Leadership	Leadership sets the expectations for results for Lean, monitors progress, and removes barriers to progress, as possible.
Engagement	Quick visible outcomes from Lean, such as application of 5S* help to engage staff further in using Lean. Staff are more engaged if they can identify the solution to a problem. Sharing information across sites working on similar projects can increase buy-in.
Resources	Management engineers with Lean expertise are an important resource to Lean project teams because they provide a different perspective, make data available, disseminate knowledge and tools, and keep the project within scope. Information technology can be an effective tool for improving process flow.
Scope, coordination, and pace of Lean activities	Narrowly scoped projects tend to be more successful. Narrowing the scope is facilitated by baseline data collection, evaluation of the current state, and team agreement on the definition of project success. Controlling the rate of change and taking the additional time needed during a Lean event yields better success. The schedule of a Lean event may need to be adapted to meet the demands of patient care.
Lean team composition and size	The Lean team should be diverse and include executives, managers, Lean experts, and frontline staff representing the various departments that contribute directly and indirectly to the process. Include skeptics on the team to help develop a solution and to gain buy-in.
Routinization	Hardwire the process change and remove any work-arounds so staff don’t revert to the old process. Use quick meetings to reinforce process changes and to identify any problems. Provide data to monitor the process change.

*5S is a tool used to standardize and organize workspaces. The five "S's" are sorting, straightening, systematic cleaning, standardizing, and sustaining.

Return to Document

Page last reviewed November 2014

Page originally created November 2014

Internet Citation: Exhibit 1.18. Major Factors that Facilitate Lean Success at LHC. Content last reviewed November 2014. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD.
https://www.ahrq.gov/practiceimprovement/systemdesign/leancasestudies/lean-exhibit1-18.html