Bringing Innovation to Daily Work ◾ 117
so successful that the same ad hoc group also created another ELI that took advan-
tage of a patient’s phone call for a medication refill to offer them appointments for
needed preventive screening tests.
All of these examples are at levels 3 and 4 on the seven levels of change
(doing things better and doing away with things). ey are more properly called
improvements, rather than innovations. e key point is that by making change the
norm, through publicity about the ELI system, Virginia Mason is fostering a cul-
ture that enables more impactful and paradigm- altering innovation.
ELIs and standard work. ELIs are another example that change and standard
work are mutually supportive at Virginia Mason. As Ch ...