Crunch Time For Health Care (Volume 1)

Time is running out for health care as we know it - Dramatic changes in the health care system will cause paradigm shifts in patient care. While the intent is to improve quality, the cost of medical care is still unchecked and profitability is suffering. Time is life - Medical care must embrace patient-centered process improvement such as reducing the “door to balloon” time. An example is moving the 12 lead EKG from the emergency room to the ambulance, allowing the patient to go directly to the cath lab. Current and future patients need this information to help them make informed medical decisions in the new world of health care. Time is money - H-Lean is a process improvement concept designed around health care. Every person in the industry will be involved in or affected by the dramatic changes. This book will help you become more knowledgeable, allowing you to participate through positive ACTION. It is Time to take ACTION - Health care is in a financial crunch. Strategically, the future is unsettling and difficult to address, but clearly, health care must aggressively gain control over runaway costs. H-Lean is our contribution towards finding solutions to the profitability crunch, while maintaining high levels of medical care for all Americans. The direction is clear. Organizations must adapt to the changes dictated by health care reform. Further, they must find ways to reduce costs by (at least) 15% through a combination of strategy, governance, realignment, productivity improvement, and cost reduction. At stake are survival, financial viability, and quality of patient care, physician reimbursement, community well-being, and overall health of citizens. Having clear objectives does not guarantee success. The same variables causing other programs to fail are applicable. The pathway is clear but pitfalls proliferate on the road to the future. H-Lean uses the Lean Six Sigma principle's tools, plus new ones. It differs by how the organization is prepared for action. It changes by the training content used for cross-functional teams. Following is a paraphrase from an ancient Chinese proverb. Teach a person how to build a fire, and they can be warm until the fuel runs out. Teach a person how to make tools, and they will make an ax and cut the wood needed for the fire, a hoe to till the soil, and a hammer to build shelter. Teach a person how to think, innovate, make decisions, and they can build a fire, make tools, grow food, get energy, and exploit opportunities. Teach people how to collaborate, and they will combine knowledge, innovate, heal the sick, and break Lean barriers. Most Lean Six Sigma programs address the second line, “teach a person how to make and use tools." These programs were successful, but many are approaching the end of their cycle. H-Lean advocates providing people thinking tools, and empowering them to collaborative, innovative action. This book takes a very pragmatic approach, but one focused on Primum non nocere, "first, do no harm". Patient care always takes priority over efficiency.