Standard Work for Lean Healthcare

Proven to increase efficiencies in the manufacturing sector, Standard Work has become a key element in reducing process waste, ensuring patient safety, and improving healthcare services. Part of the Lean Tools for Healthcare Series, this reader-friendly book builds on the success of the bestselling, Standard Work for the Shopfloor.

Standard Work for Lean Healthcare explains how to apply this powerful Lean tool to increase patient safety and reduce the cost of providing healthcare services. It illustrates how standardization can help you establish best practices for performing daily work and why it should be the cornerstone for all of your continuous improvement efforts. Presented in an easy-to-assimilate format, the book describes work in terms of cycle time, work in process, takt time, and layout. It also:

• Defines the key concepts of standard work and explores the essential elements of a continuous improvement culture
• Provides detailed guidance through the process of creating, maintaining, and improving standards
• Illustrates the application of standardization and standard work in healthcare with a range of examples
• Includes access to helpful websites and further reading on standardization, standard work, the 5S System, and Lean healthcare

A joint effort between the Rona Consulting Group and Productivity Press, this book presents invaluable insights from pioneers in Lean thinking to help you avoid common mistakes that can lead to unnecessary wastes of time and resources. Each richly illustrated chapter includes a chapter summary, reflection questions, and margin assists that highlight key terms, how-to steps, and healthcare examples―making this an essential resource for healthcare professionals starting out on their Lean journey.

Thomas L. Jackson