I just came back from the Health Systems Process Improvement Conference in Orlando and it was a GREAT experience!
I met so many great people who are working in eliminating waste out of the healthcare system. I find it inspiring when so many people from all different backgrounds and age groups are working on helping solve the problems we have with waste in healthcare.
I learned about simulations, modeling and applying Systems Engineering and Operations Research to solve complex healthcare problems. I learned about patient tracking systems using ultrasonic frequencies that provide accurate data about OR utilization and patient flow. I learned about the continuous improvement journey of two large organizations and their growing pains as well as their lessons learned. I learned about using Kano models for capturing the voice of the customer. I learned how the CDC is using Industrial Engineering tools to tackle some macro issues. I also learned about how another large organization’s pharmacy is using Lean methods to improve everything from inventory accuracy to logistics.
I met Mark Graban, author of Lean Hospitals, Healthcare Kaizen and The Executive Guide to Healthcare Kaizen, whom I personally admire a lot. I attended his two talks and I even got him to sign my copy of Lean Hospitals! His insights through years of experience of working in the healthcare field are without parallel!
I met Joe Swartz, who has led improvement initiatives for almost 20 years and eight of those have been in healthcare and who co-wrote Healthcare Kaizen and The Executive Guide to Healthcare Kaizen with Mark Graban.
I met a young student with the energy of 10 Energizer bunnies, who wants to take everything he is learning back to his home country of the Dominican Republic to reengineer their healthcare system.
I also delivered a talk about using a different approach to training healthcare providers in Lean methodologies in a way that they grasp the concepts, feel empowered to use them immediately and improve their workflows and patient care.
All these learning experiences and stimulating new relationships caused me to come back pumped up and inspired to keep tackling the $17Billion problem (as Medicare calls it) and help my clients see the waste and get rid of anything that does not add value to the patient.
Thank you SHS!