In 2013, following the ThedaCare model (from a US healthcare facility based in Appleton, Wisconsin), Pembroke Regional Hospital embarked on a journey to implement a Lean Management System that supports a culture of continuous improvement. Our goal “ to develop our people to solve problems and improve performance”.
Our Lean Management System is now used hospital-wide. From April, 2013 until March, 2019, our employees and physicians have brought forward just over 3,000 ideas for improvement and we have implemented 2,653 of those as reported in our daily improvement huddles (part of the Lean system). In the past year alone (April 2018 until March 2019) 761 new ideas were brought forward, of which 540 were implemented.
More than an improvement project, Lean healthcare is a system of process management which helps improve the flow of information from the front lines to senior leaders and back, fosters the engagement of all employees in process improvement, and allows for daily coaching and teaching. This approach is now being used in many fields including healthcare where Lean is improving patient flow and adding value to each patient’s care experience.
Lean healthcare is about maximizing value for our patients.
Lean healthcare is about continuous quality improvements while eliminating unnecessary steps. In the Lean way of thinking, the organization relies on the expertise of its frontline workers to identify improvement opportunities, to lead changes and to solve problems.
Lean healthcare is about providing the right service, when it is needed, the right way, the first time.
Using the Lean Management System, 23 of our departments have daily stand-up meetings to discuss, initiate and implement quality improvements at PRH. Strategic goals for the hospital are identified annually and shared with the health care team. In 2018-2019 those goals were: Embracing patients and their families as partners in their care (Patient and Family Centre Care); Providing a safe environment for our patients and my co-workers (Culture of Safety); Using resources wisely (Improving the value per day, per visit); and Taking pride in the work that I do (Staff engagement). Our teams and departments have worked to support these goals.
Current Improvement Work 2019/2020
Our Strategic Plan
PRH Staff Showcase How Lean Management Transforms Care For Patients
Here's a sample of some of the goal-oriented initiatives from the past year:
Acute Mental Health / Emergency Department / Mental Health Services
Food Services
Surgical Program / Health Records
Surgical Program
Intensive Care Unit
Emergency Department
Ambulatory Clinics / Diagnostic Imaging / Emergency Department
Ambulatory Clinics
Medical Program
Hospital wide
Diagnostic Imaging
Operating Room
Finance Department
Materials Management
Rehabilitation (inpatient)
Here are some of the department-based "quick fix" improvements that directly impact patient care which were implemented.
Acute Mental Health
Finance
Maternal Child Care
Medical
Pharmacy
Rehabilitation (outpatient)
Vascular Health - Diabetes Education Clinic