Perhaps you've begun reading about 5S Lean and how it applies to various aspects of a healthcare organization. Have you taken a seminar, hired a lean consultant, or even recruited a new employee to fill the role of lean practitioner?
If you've started any of these more intensive investments, I am betting that you're also facing some pressure from investors, owners, executives, or your board of directors to hurry up and produce some results.Well, there are some hurdles to clear to do this right. Here are some concrete tips to walk you through the process and hopefully speed your way to better understanding and results.
1. Lean Healthcare and the 5S Mindset
Start here. Learn what each S stands for, and the basics of lean practice. This short but direct primer will help you better understand the more intense forms of study you are most likely taking, whether it be a long book, or a course, or if you are trying to keep up with your consultant.More »
2. The ROI for a 5S Lean Healthcare Culture
Now that you have read the definition of terms and you understand the basics of the 5S lean mindset, it's time to take a deeper dive into the types of return on your investment that you should expect.The more clearly defined your expectations, the better you'll be able to persuade the rest of your organization that these daily habits will yield meaningful benefits to all involved.More »
3. How To Start a 5S Lean Program in Your Healthcare Organization
And now to begin putting what you've learned into practice. But as a leader, you are still, at this stage, tasked with building a team to spread the education throughout the entire organization, and preach the return on investment to keep people motivated.
I've included 5 steps to plan, launch, and build a 5S lean culture in your organization.More »
4. Medical Supplies that Enable 5S Lean Healthcare Design
You've finally arrived at the point where you're leadership team is assembled, organized, and motivated. They've educated and trained the department leaders, who are in turn tasked with spreading the 5S lean mindset to their co-workers.
Now that all of the important planning, organizing, and educating has progressed, people will be ready to ask, now what?How do we do this in practice? What does it actually look like?
Move from theory to practice by taking advantage of the products manufacturers have created to help healthcare workers sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and sustain.More »
5. Example # 1: 5S Lean and Lab Design
Here are some practical examples of how a 5S Lean culture will look in places like research labs, hematology labs, and pathology labs. Learn what questions to ask while designing the overall lab floor plan as well as the countertop planning at each individual bench, work, and storage area. Finally, you'll see some product examples that will help you get to work.More »
6. Example # 2: Turn Your Waiting Room into a 5S Lean Showcase
Even the waiting room can benefit from a 5S lean culture. It's actually a great way to make a professional, clean, and organized impression on your guests.In this article you'll find inexpensive but smartly designed products that will help you set your 5S lean stake into the ground.More »
7. Example # 3: Medical Supplies for 5S Lean Phlebotomy
Get organized, stay productive and profitable in your blood draw area or phlebotomy lab. Here are some practical products to help your staff sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and sustain their workspace.More »
8. Example # 4: How a 5S Lean for Better Wheelchair Inventory Control
This final example shows how the 5S lean methods and mindset can improve inventory control, even for relatively larger items like wheelchairs.The time-saving and cost-saving benefits will make your staff see for themselves that the daily habits of 5S lean will be worth their while.More »