Making the shift to a lean enterprise, whether it’s in a hospital, a physician practice or a nursing home, isn’t easy. Like any culture shift, it will require commitment and time. There may be resistance, especially given the complex nature of health care. But stay the course.

Lean has a successful track record in many industries so you will need to provide education, communication and reinforcement throughout the process. Lean may be challenging to implement at first, but it may be the best investment your organization can make to improve financial performance and the quality of care you deliver to your most important customers — your patients.