How To Implement Lean In A Hospital Environment

Many organisations around the world are looking to adopt lean processes and hospitals and healthcare systems are no different. Lean cultures can cut out unnecessary costs, increase productivity and drive innovation; however, hiring the wrong people can seriously damage your institution's changes of success.

The simple truth is, not everybody thrives in a lean environment. Kevin Klinvex, Executive Vice President for Select International, an employee's assessment and hiring solution firm wrote in a blog post this week, “What many organizations end up finding out is that without a hiring process that clearly identifies employees who excel in a lean environment, they are only addressing half the issue. The reason is very straightforward, lean environments demand higher levels of energy, problem solving, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Hiring people who work best in a highly structured, non-collaborative environment, signals trouble for building a high performance, lean organization.”

Healthcare Global outlines four HR practices that healthcare executives and managers need to implement in order to support a lean environment >>>

#1.Define the competencies employees must possess, (e.g., teamwork, attention to quality, work pace, work ethic, continuous improvement, problem solving ability, job fit motivation, communication and integrity).

#2. Hire only people who have those competencies.

#3. Provide lean systems and training for all employees. Encourage high performance by communicating the value and including it in performance management systems.

#4. Coach and, if necessary, remove individuals who refuse to embrace the high-performance culture.

“Over time you will replace those who cannot or do not want to work in a lean environment with people who thrive and embrace high performance. At the same time you will send a healthy message that lean is important,” said Klinvex.

Employing the right people, providing the right training and maintaining the right culture for your organisation is key to productivity, development and continuous improvement.