Fad diets come and go, but the tried and true way to fitness is a change in lifestyle. The same principle stands for health care design and construction. Implementing lean principles is not a quick-fix solution, but requires first a shift in mentality and a mindset that accepts growth and change. Just like with a fitness plan, the key is tailoring the right lean plan for a project. The key lies in figuring out where to start, how to keep it going, and what "lean" really means in each setting. You do not have to be an expert to begin integrating lean into your processes.
what is lean?
The lean process, originally championed by Toyota Production System (TPS), has been a well-known philosophy in the manufacturing arena for decades. Lean thinking is based on the ideals of driving out waste and ultimately providing maximum value for the customer. While the lean concept isn't new, its application in health care operations, design and construction is on the cutting edge.
Where do you start?
The key to implementing lean is a solid understanding of its core principles, combined with a company culture that is willing to accept new ideas and make changes. Though many are familiar with concepts of lean, they reach a roadblock in taking the first steps to implement these ideas for a specific project or process. Below is a brief list of steps that can begin the lean process.
¥ Establish an action group or lean committee to spearhead the process and to help stay focused on change.
¥ Start with a small project, or even part of a project, but just start, even if you don't feel fully prepared to dive in.
¥ Get everyone involved during the construction phase -- this includes the client, staff and contractors.
¥ Eliminate "silo" thinking. As a core group, map processes to determine value, identify potential points of waste and develop efficient ways to improve with the idea of enhancing the quality of care.
¥ Think about planning in new ways.
¥ Implement an integrated form of agreement.
Lean is a lifetime commitment, and is not effective unless it remains a priority, just like a diet or a fitness program.
As co-founders of the Southern California chapters of the Lean Construction Institute, Childs Mascari Warner Architects and BSD Builders, along with Professor Colin. T. Milberg with SDSU, are bringing lean to Southern California health care design and construction.
Nov. 20, 2009, 5 p.m. -- San Diego's web video news: Today's breaking major business events, economic, and financial announcements from the Daily Transcript/San Diego Source newsroom.
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