Eliminating Waste in Healthcare: Lean Thinking for Healthcare Providers
In the healthcare industry, efficiency is not just a buzzword; it's a necessity. As healthcare providers, your resources—whether time, money, or personnel—are finite. Yet, the demands for high-quality care and patient satisfaction continue to rise. This is where lean thinking, a philosophy rooted in eliminating waste and maximizing value, becomes critical.
What is Waste?
According to Womak and Jones in their seminal work "Lean Thinking" (a must-read for healthcare leaders), waste is defined as any activity that absorbs resources but creates no value. In healthcare, this can range from unnecessary tests and procedures to inefficiencies in administrative workflows. But perhaps the most precious resource we must safeguard is time—time that could be spent improving patient outcomes, time that could be dedicated to innovation, or time that could be used to enhance the patient experience.
In the context of healthcare, eliminating waste means rethinking how we use our time, ensuring that every minute is spent creating value for patients, providers, and the healthcare system as a whole.
The Value of Time: Why Speed Matters
In lean product development, Boyd’s Law states that the speed of iterations beats the quality of iteration. Colonel John Boyd, a military strategist, discovered that in aerial dogfights, an inferior aircraft could outperform a superior one simply by iterating faster—adjusting tactics, making decisions, and executing maneuvers with greater speed.
In healthcare, this principle is especially relevant. The ability to quickly iterate on care delivery models, patient engagement strategies, or technological implementations can mean the difference between leading in patient care and falling behind. As Eric Ries emphasizes in his application of Boyd's Law to lean startups, the key to success is maximizing cycle time through the build-measure-learn loop. In healthcare, this translates to testing new approaches, measuring outcomes, and learning from those outcomes to continuously improve care.
Navigating the Conflicting Pull for Time
In healthcare, as in any industry, time is pulled in many directions. On one hand, there’s the need to engage with patients, understand their needs, and deliver care (the equivalent of "outside the building" activities in lean startups). On the other hand, there's the need to develop and implement solutions—whether clinical protocols, technology systems, or administrative processes ("inside the building" activities).
Healthcare leaders must balance these demands carefully. As Eric Ries suggests, creating two interdependent teams—a problem team (focused on patient engagement and care) and a solution team (focused on developing and implementing solutions)—can help. However, the challenge remains, particularly for those in leadership roles who must straddle both worlds.
Achieving Flow in Healthcare Operations
To maximize productivity, healthcare providers must achieve what psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi calls "flow"—a state of being fully immersed in an activity with clear objectives, full concentration, and minimal distractions. In healthcare, achieving flow can lead to more effective patient care, smoother operations, and better outcomes.
There are two types of flow to consider:
Practical Strategies for Creating Flow in Healthcare
Here are some strategies to foster flow in your healthcare organization:
Work Hack 1: Establish Uninterruptible Time Blocks for Critical Tasks
Allocate specific time blocks for critical tasks like patient consultations or administrative reviews, ensuring that these periods are free from interruptions. This is particularly important for complex procedures or in-depth patient assessments.
Work Hack 2: Prioritize Early Completion of High-Impact Tasks
Encourage your team to tackle the most critical tasks early in the day when energy levels are high, and distractions are minimal. This approach can set a positive tone for the rest of the day.
Work Hack 3: Schedule Routine Tasks for Later in the Day
Administrative tasks, meetings, and other routine activities can be scheduled for later in the day, allowing the morning hours to be reserved for patient care or strategic planning
Work Hack 4: Always Be Prepared for Unplanned Issues
Healthcare is unpredictable, and you must be ready to handle unexpected challenges—whether it's an emergency, a patient issue, or a system failure. Building flexibility into your schedule is key.
Lean Principles in Software and Technology
In today's healthcare environment, technology plays a crucial role in delivering care. Lean principles can also be applied to the development of new software and it's implementation within your organization to:
In Conclusion
The application of lean thinking in healthcare can have a profound impact not only on achieving operational efficiency and improved outcomes but also by bridging the gap between healthcare and technology teams and their goals.
To achieve true alignment between all key stakeholders between healthcare and technology, lean principles offers a viable solution to quickly and efficiently implement new innovations and pave the way for the future of healthcare.
