Chapter 1
The Need for Lean Hospitals
Better Results with Lean
“Lean” is a process improvement methodology and, more importantly, Lean is a leadership style and a management system. Lean has been embraced by hospitals and health systems since the 1990s, especially so in the past 10 years. The Lean approach is powerful, but it is not a quick fix. Lean promotes a new way of thinking and a different organizational culture, requiring change and participation from everybody at all levels. The practical methods and tools used within this broader framework have led to measurably better performance in areas such as patient safety, quality, waiting times, cost, and employee morale in healthcare organizations around the world.
Lean is not something you ...
