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Chapter 7
Bringing Innovation
to Daily Work
Our leaders say to everybody, “We want you to keep thinking every
day, to have daily ideas. Wherever you are in the organization, you are
just as important as anybody else.” And so, small, everyday contribu-
tions make a difference. I think there is a culture here that says, every-
thing matters.
—Francis Salinas, MD
Anesthesiologist, Virginia Mason Medical Center
e integration of innovation and lean is not confined to the formal events of
the Virginia Mason Production System (VMPS). Everyone in the Virginia Mason
culture, from executives to frontline staff, is encouraged to apply the concepts and
tools ...