Two-day LEAN training course for healthcare professionals

The Henry Ford Production System LEAN training for health care takes place Sept. 16-17, 2010 at Henry Ford Health System

The two-day course is a didactic and hands-on introduction to LEAN management philosophy and manufacturing-based work rules and tools designed to prepare physicians, administrators, and technical support staff for the realities and potential successes of practicing in a LEAN environment. The sessions are not only oriented to laboratory medicine but also adapted to the processes encountered in clinical services as well.

The concept of focusing on design of work, across silos of control, according to defined rules of change and design as practiced in the manufacturing industry is very pertinent to all in healthcare. The challenge for leaders is to adapt these successful approaches, which engage the entire workforce, to our unique environment in healthcare.

Henry Ford has been doing that across the laboratories of the Henry Ford Health System through our Deming-inspired culture- the Henry Ford Production System. This approach is now being adopted in the clinical services of its Transplant Institute, Operating Room Services, Outpatient Clinics, Cardiac Surgery and Behavioral Services. The practical experiences over four years, especially the challenges and leadership required to change to that culture, are shared in the two-day LEAN training course.

Upon completion of this course, the participant will be able to:

• Describe and implement effective process improvements based on manufacturing base production principles
• Adopt unique measurement tools based on the scientific method of data collection to identify and analyze defective processes in surgical pathology laboratories
• Select leadership and organizational structures for successful transformation to implement LEAN as a continuously learning, evolving and improving workforce culture
• Manage empowered teams of 'expert' workers
• Understand how new technology can be adapted to promote and sustain LEAN concepts of work

The program consists of 15.5 CME hours of education class-time.