Keen to be Lean in Healthcare

Washington can’t fix the astronomical costs of healthcare, according to Jamie Flinchbaugh. He points out that lean in healthcare tends to be directed only towards cost reduction. That is a frequent mistake, he asserts. Healthcare costs are one of the major driving deficiencies of the Big Three auto manufacturers. But rather than focus solely on the cost in terms of quantity, perhaps attention should be paid towards improving quality. “And it turns out that improved patient care quality actually reduces costs,” writes Mr. Flinchbaugh. He argues that good intentions and good training are not enough; and that “bad processes beat good people every single time”:

“Regardless of what happens in Washington, I know this. We have a lot of work to do to design, manage, and improve the work of the healthcare professionals. And Washington can’t do that for all the physicians, nurses, assistants, pharmacists, technicians, and administrators that suffer from bad processes.”

 

Check out Jamie’s insightful article here.