Using LEAN to transition into a new hospital/workspace

posted by admin at 12:45 pm

Last year my wife and I visited friends to cook (and enjoy) Thanksgiving dinner. By any measure, the kitchen where we were to prepare dinner was FABULOUS. Two ovens and two sinks, all top notch. Endless counter-space and every cooking gadget I’d ever heard of, and many I hadn’t. We were very excited, until things started to heat up. The extra space was fantastic but we couldn’t find a thing under pressure. It wasn’t that I forgotten my mom’s secret when it came to mash potatoes or gravy-I just didn’t know how to make best use of the space.

I keep being reminded of last Thanksgiving because I’ve been recently helping a client use the principles of LEAN to transition into a new hospital.

I’ve visited many new facilities where staff and administrators are quick to blame the design of the space for the operational shortcomings that arise once the space is being used. Experience has taught me that no design principle can offset the need to learn and adapt to a new environment.

What did my client do?

Three things:

1) Assign frontline leaders and staff to assess the new space and use LEAN problem solving to redesign workflows.
2) Simulate new work with staff and systematically experiment when “problems” arose.
3) Do those things relentlessly BEFORE they moved into the new hospital, rather than winging it like my friends and I had.

Though the transition has not been without confusion, people began settling in to new workflows, and continually adapting, within weeks of the move-rather than blaming the architects for the design of the space. I’m certain that my client is better off for it.

If you are considering allying LEAN principles to a move into hospital or addition, let us know and we will happily connect you to our client.