Sponsored by: VMEC

Lean Healthcare 101 is an accelerated learning workshop that conveys the proven benefits of using "Lean" improvement methods to achieve breakthrough performance in health care facilities.

Lean concepts and Lean methods can enable:

• Improved patient satisfaction
• The ability to serve more patients with existing staff
• Improved staff morale and employee engagement
• Decreased errors
• Lower costs and better space utilization
• A systematic approach for identifying wastes and a method for continuous improvement
• A problem solving approach that allows solving problems of importance to the staff and the organization

The application of "Lean" principles began years ago in the manufacturing environment with industry leaders such as Toyota. Today, the tremendous success of Lean is spreading to Vermont healthcare through the VMEC Process Strategies Group (PSG), a specialized business unit of the not-for-profit Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center (VMEC). The complex, fast-paced nature of healthcare makes it a prime environment for significant Lean implementation results.

During this 1-day training, with simulations that allow learning by doing, participants will learn:

• Basic Lean concepts and methods
• The value of patient and process flow
• The 8 key wastes common in healthcare
• The tools to reduce or eliminate waste, such as standardized work, visual controls, set-up reduction, reducing batches, clear information flow, and point of use storage.
• How to see value creation through the eyes of the patient and internal customers.
• Examples of Lean improvement projects

This workshop is appropriate for individuals in all service sectors - physicians, administration, nursing, technicians, allied health services, and support services.

No previous Lean experience is required to walk away with a solid understanding of the concepts of flow, how to see waste in a process, and how to improve the patient experience.