The Lean Toyota Production System (TPS) principles are not new but relatively new to healthcare as an evidence-based approach for improvements. Lean supports business operations focusing on:

• Customers and their values.

• Key processes to meet the customer values.

• Tasks within the processes that do not contribute to the customer values.

• Redesign of processes for effectiveness and/or efficiency to meet customer values.

By creating a culture where: 1) staff feel comfortable to engage and take part in improvement initiatives and 2) managers teach, mentor, and facilitate collaborative conversations, there are measurable improvements in outcomes including streamlined processes, cost reduction, improved quality, timely delivery, and increased satisfaction among employees and customers.

This talk will explore:

• What it means to have a culture change to think “Lean” as a quality improvement philosophy.

• Key Lean quality improvement tools and techniques.

• Measurements for success with quality and performance improvement initiatives; and data-based decision making.

• Examples of healthcare organization projects that applied Lean and the improved outcomes as demonstrated by data.

When adopting Lean throughout the system of a healthcare organization individuals participate, witness, and see the evidence of improvement in the data collected. The result is greater confidence and participation in quality improvement initiatives, leading to sustainment of Lean processes.