Proven to increase efficiencies in the manufacturing sector, Standard Work has become a key element in reducing process waste, ensuring patient safety, and improving healthcare services. Part of the Lean Tools for Healthcare Series, this reader-friendly book builds on the success of the bestselling, Standard Work for the Shopfloor.
Standard Work for Lean Healthcare explains how to apply this powerful Lean tool to increase patient safety and reduce the cost of providing healthcare services. It illustrates how standardization can help you establish best practices for performing daily work and why it should be the cornerstone for all of your continuous improvement efforts. Presented in an easy-to-assimilate format, the book describes work in terms of cycle time, work in process, takt time, and layout. It also:
- Defines the key concepts of standard work and explores the essential elements of a continuous improvement culture
- Provides detailed guidance through the process of creating, maintaining, and improving standards
- Illustrates the application of standardization and standard work in healthcare with a range of examples
- Includes access to helpful websites and further reading on standardization, standard work, the 5S System, and Lean healthcare
A joint effort between the Rona Consulting Group and Productivity Press, this book presents invaluable insights from pioneers in Lean thinking to help you avoid common mistakes that can lead to unnecessary wastes of time and resources. Each richly illustrated chapter includes a chapter summary, reflection questions, and margin assists that highlight key terms, how-to steps, and healthcare examples—making this an essential resource for healthcare professionals starting out on their Lean journey.
Getting Started
The Purpose of This Book
What This Book Is Based On
Two Ways to Use This Book
How to Get the Most Out of Your Reading
Becoming Familiar with This Book
Becoming Familiar with Each Chapter
How a Reading Strategy Works
Using the Margin Assists
An Overview of the Contents
The Production Processes and Operations of Healthcare
Production, Process, and Operation
Standards and Beyond
Characteristics of Standards
Sources and Types of Standards
Standards and Standard Work versus Best Practice
What Is Standardization?
What Is Standard Work?
Lean Healthcare Methods = Standard Processes and Reliable Methods
Standard Work is a Prerequisite of Lean Healthcare
Standard Work Drives Further ImprovementStandard Work and Evidence-Based Practice
Evidence-Based Practice
A Culture of Continuous Improvement
The Benefits of Standardization and Standard Work
For the Organization
For Patients
For Clinicians and Support Staff
Standardization
The Path to Reliable Methods
Types of In-House Standards
100 Percent Adherence to Reliable Methods
Communicating In-House Policies and Standards
Often Manuals Are Not Designed for the User
Revisions Are Unsystematic
Information Is Inconsistent with Lean Healthcare Methods
What to Include in Standards Documentation
Technical and Process Standards Sheets
Equipment Manuals
The Value of User-Friendly Standards
Creating and Maintaining Improvements to Standards
How Do You Create Standards and Standard Operations?
Stages of Standards Improvement
A Review of the Process Analysis Tools
Standard Work
Standard Task
Standard Work Sequence
Standard Time
Takt Time
Cycle Time
Wait Time
Lead Time
Standard Work-in-Process (SWIP) Inventory
Standard Work Documentation
Five Steps to Standard Work
Step One: Conduct a Running Time Observation
Step Two: Create a Standard Work Sheet
Step Three: Percent Load Chart
Step Four: Create a Standard Work Combination Sheet
Step Five: Standard Work Instruction Sheet
Ten Guidelines for Maintaining and
Improving Standard Work
Summary
Reflections
Applications of Standardization and Standard Work
New Employee Training
Evaluating Improvement Ideas
Applications of Standard Work
Managing Healthcare Service Production Processes
Patient Safety
Hourly Rounding
Satisfied Employees
Reflection and Conclusions
Reflecting on What You Have Learned
Applying What You Have Learned
Possibilities for Applying What You Have Learned
Implementing Standardization and Standard Work in Your Organization
Your Personal Action Plan
Opportunities for Further Learning
Conclusions
Appendix:
Further Reading about the 5S System
Further Reading about Lean Healthcare
Useful Websites
Each chapter concludes with a Summary & Reflections
Biography
Thomas L. Jackson