Lean Hospitals: Improving Quality, Patient Safety, and Employee Satisfaction,   ISBN:9781420083804

Customer Rating: 

This book provides an introduction to lean methodology and how it might apply in a healthcare environment. It is presented in an easy to read format but doesn't really tell you how you might go about introducing lean in your own hospital.

Customer Rating: 

I read this book in preparation for a move to the healthcare industry and was impressed by how well it captured core elements of Lean. Since reading it, I've begun recommending this as "the" introduction to Lean, regardless of industry. Well written, practical, and very informative. This isn't a standalone tome for your Lean journey, but is a great way to whet the appetite.

Customer Rating: 

"Great book for those who are interested or thinking about performing Lean tools in the medical field. Mark Graban does a great job of relating the Lean manufacturing tool set into the medical industry. I highly recommended for those trying to transition from manufacturing to medical continuous improvement."

Customer Rating: 

Outstanding. If you're interested in how lean can be applied to healthcare, Graban's book is the place to start. It's clear without being oversimplistic, gives a great overview of the fundamentals of lean, as well as detailed examples of how they apply to a hospital context. I was particularly impressed with the book for correcting common misconceptions about lean. Graban does a great job on focusing on the fundamentals:

- One, lean is first about improving quality (yes, less treatment errors!) and reducing lead-time (no more waiting lists and queues), which in turn reduce the overall cost of operations - not the other way around. Slashing budgets without a deep understanding of the nature of the activity and its problems has never improved anything.
- Second, he makes the strong point that they are two fundamental pillars to lean: reducing waste, certainly, but respect for people as well: as we well know, our life is spent minute by minute, so every minute of a person's life is precious, and both patients and nurse's minutes should be used to getting well. In order to do that they both have to be fully engaged in cooperating with each other (and other team members) to create the best outcomes for all. This requires a radical rethink of relationships within the hospital context. In a situation where the human side of things is paramount (patients will heal better is they're treated well, staff will treat patients better if they're themselves treated well), developing this second pillar of lean is critical, and Graban makes that point forcefully.

This is the best introduction to doing lean in hospitals I've come across so far, and it does a great job of both describing lean and showing how it can be applied tomorrow in the wards. It also has numerous success stories of hospitals who're doing it right now. Considering how deep the healthcare crisis is, it's hard to think of reasons NOT to do lean in healthcare. Reading this book, and getting every one in the hospital to read it is the first step.

Customer Rating: 

This is an excellent practical how-to guide. Relevant clinical examples are cited throughout the book and tools included with the examples that make it easy to understand the "how-to". Enough basic theory is included to understand the value of each of the steps. This may not be the only book you need but it is, for sure, ONE of the books you need. Really useful to our hospital as we work through our first efficiency initiative.