LEAN management - status of healthcare in Sask

[hitops]

LEAN does not always work in manufacturing. If done right, LEAN can work in any process where there is waste, including health care, accounting, call centers, etc...

'If done right', is a meaningless statement, because it is true for literally anything imaginable.

The test is not whether it works in the magical fantasy perfect world of it's promoters, but whether it works generally in the real world and real situations as they are.

[carepov]

'If done right', is a meaningless statement, because it is true for literally anything imaginable.

It is not meaningless - it is a refutation of your argument that LEAN cannot work in health care. Even "if done right" you cannot wash your face with a computer - this was a bad analogy.

The test is not whether it works in the magical fantasy perfect world of it's promoters, but whether it works generally in the real world and real situations as they are.

The test is doomed to fail in the real world if people have your attitude that "LEAN cannot work"

[hitops]

It is not meaningless - it is a refutation of your argument that LEAN cannot work in health care. Even "if done right" you cannot wash your face with a computer - this was a bad analogy.

I'd say the most common usage of this phrase would be wrt communism. 'Done properly', it's great isn't it?

The test is doomed to fail in the real world if people have your attitude that "LEAN cannot work"

If you can't apply it, how can it work? It's like saying nudity is a great dress code for work. Ok let's accept it's possible, but since your workplace will never let you actually do it, I guess not.

Same story with LEAN. LEAN will never be give the freedom to deal with the most critical areas of waste in the system, so we'll never know. Not because it can't work in those areas, it just won't be allowed to touch them by the inherent design of our health care system.

In the meantime, we apply LEAN to make changes that are so insignificant that the actual waste of time in administering LEAN cancels out the benefits.

A US hospital by contrast, could probably make good use of LEAN.

Edited March 26, 2014 by hitops

[Michael Hardner]

LEAN will never be give the freedom to deal with the most critical areas of waste in the system, so we'll never know. Not because it can't work in those areas, it just won't be allowed to touch them by the inherent design of our health care system.

That's not LEAN's issues, that's your management, or the operating environment. I have worked in a tough labour environment and good management can find ways to work around these things.

[carepov]

I'd say the most common usage of this phrase would be wrt communism. 'Done properly', it's great isn't it?

If you can't apply it, how can it work? It's like saying nudity is a great dress code for work. Ok let's accept it's possible, but since your workplace will never let you actually do it, I guess not.

You have some of the worst analogies I have ever heard.

Same story with LEAN. LEAN will never be give the freedom to deal with the most critical areas of waste in the system, so we'll never know. Not because it can't work in those areas, it just won't be allowed to touch them by the inherent design of our health care system.

In the meantime, we apply LEAN to make changes that are so insignificant that the actual waste of time in administering LEAN cancels out the benefits.

A US hospital by contrast, could probably make good use of LEAN.

Of course the costs of (potential) problems need to outweigh the efforts spent in solving the problems. LEAN or no LEAN.

Management decides what problems to solve and which to ignore/live with. Again LEAN or no LEAN.

A good example of LEAN is changing your winter tires. In your garage you can get them done in in an hour. At a shop it would take less than half the time. In NASCAR pit stops it takes seconds. Waste is everywhere, LEAN provides tools to see it, measure it and problem solve. Unlike comunism, it can be done properly and has been proven in many sectors including Health Care.

[hitops]

has been proven in many sectors including Health Care.

But not public health care. Unless you have some examples?

[Michael Hardner]

But not public health care. Unless you have some examples?

Why do you say 'not public health care'. Do you think carepov meant to say this has only worked in private health care ? Private health care also has to deal with unions, as do private employers such as manufacturers.