ThedaCare: Lean Healthcare
Posted on January 30, 2006 Comments (1)
Area health systems put customer service first by MaryBeth Matzek
In 2005, ThedaCare was able to save $10 million thanks to its lean programs and officials hope to save another $12 million this year, Toussaint said.
ThedaCare’s march toward lean began when Toussaint started looking for a way to improve quality and service while cutting costs. He found what he was looking for in an unlikely place – a factory that produces lawnmowers and snow blowers.
The model Ariens used was adapted from a system put in place by Toyota, the Japanese automotive manufacturer. As part of the system, teams are formed to look at processes and find ways to improve them – whether it’s cutting out an unnecessary step or finding a better way to serve the customer.
Related:
- Going Lean in Health Care
- Lean Health Care: ThedaCare
- Lean Principles in Health Care
- Management Improvement in Healthcare
- Lean Hospitals
- Fixing Healthcare from the Inside
- ToC in UK Surgery
Posted by John Hunter
Categories: Health care, Lean thinking, Management, Management Articles
Tags: Health care, lean healthcare, Lean thinking, Wisconsin
Categories: Health care, Lean thinking, Management, Management Articles
Tags: Health care, lean healthcare, Lean thinking, Wisconsin
One Response to “ThedaCare: Lean Healthcare”
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March 19th, 2006 @ 5:39 pm
Do you know of any specifics on how thedacare has achieved such remarkable savings/improvements using lean? I’ve read some of Virginia Mason’s work, but honestly, not too many community health systems have a hyperbaric chamber.