Lean Healthcare Services

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· Lean Healthcare Consulting

· Public Workshop

Improving Quality, Time and Cost in Health Care: The Three Wins

Launch of a New Joint Healthcare Education Initiative

Barriers to Change within Organizations

CAPM Project Management Certificate Training Program

Lean Best Practice

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Archive:

· Lean Healthcare Review, Issue 1

· Lean Review, (SCM), Issue 1

Lean Best Practice - Integrating Ergonomics into Lean Healthcare

The integration of ergonomics into a Lean healthcare process begins at the planning phase. Ergonomics and safety must be core values of the Lean process in addition to waste reduction and value creation. All Lean champions and lean team members should understand the mission of the Lean healthcare process and the role ergonomics play in the successful implementation of that process. Ergonomics metrics must be included in the Lean process to evaluate the impact of Lean improvements on cumulative trauma disorder (CTD) risk factors associated with each activity.

Integrating ergonomics effectively into Lean healthcare processes should include:

· Incorporating risk assessments and quality metrics into the value stream mapping process

· Training Lean team members in the basic ergonomic concepts

· Focusing Lean teams on ergonomics design concepts

· Quantifying the CTD risk factors present before and after a Lean workflow

· Measuring the financial impact of Lean ergonomics solutions

· Establishing a culture of employee involvement and empowerment

In summary, without ergonomics, Lean processes can lead to costly staff compensation claims in the months and years after implementation. With ergonomics, Lean processes can achieve both your process efficiency goals and reduce staff compensation costs going forward.

Can your organization afford to ignore ergonomics as you create a Lean healthcare organization?

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We are offering readers of Lean Healthcare Review a unique and once-off offer of a Free workbook when you sign up for the on-line Lean Healthcare Green Belt program. Just quote “Lean Healthcare Review” when ordering your program.