Inventory: this is a major cost in healthcare; therefore, to reduce the inventory cost, one hospital should consider frequent shipments rather than using discount volume.
Motion: This is time wasted by healthcare practitioners moving from one place to another. This can help address the issues by keeping this close, thus maximizing output.
Transportation: In healthcare, transportation waste can be recorded as time used to transport patients and test them around.
Overprocessing: the results are in excess, or the job is overdone from the patient’s point of view.
Defects: wrong labelling of tests or incomplete information could cause many problems.
Waiting: any type of waiting is a waste. For example, a patient waiting for the doctors is a waste.
Underutilizing staff: failing to utilize staff well is a waste.
Overproduction: this is making more of something than expected.
Of the 18 building blocks of Lean Healthcare discussed, identify four that could assist in your process improvement project paper. Give brief examples of why they would apply.
Point use of Storage: the building block allows healthcare tools to be placed where they can be used, thus eliminating motion and transportation waste.
Visual workplace systems: This block will help eliminate defects and waste in healthcare processes.
Layout: The block will help eliminate waiting waste, motion, and transportation waste.
Self-inspection ensures that there are no errors in an undertaking, which increases efficiency and effectiveness.
Based on your reading, create a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting which types of CQI Initiative are correct to use for each strategy (IHI Model, LEAN, and Six Sigma).
| Strategy | CQI Initiative |
| IHI Model for Improvement | Emphasis on process and outcome. |
| Learn | Emphasis on the process. |
| Six Sigma | Emphasis on both processes and outcomes. |
Identify the six best practices to consider when using a CQI strategy. Give a brief summary of each.
- From the team: developing a team of appropriate improves success.
- Set aims: define the objectives of the strategy.
- Establish measures: these help establish the level of improvement.
- Select changes: determine the process that can improve the process.
- Test change: measures how the change will improve.
- Implement change: use the select change to install challenges.
What are process control charts, and how do they work?
Statistical process control is an analytical decision-making tool that helps identify the processes that are working and those that are not. Process control charts are used to measure the variation of the process when change is being implemented. They are used during process observation.
Can all types of process data be assessed using control charts?
The control charts are used to determine the potentiality of the process. They are applicable to only continuous quality control data.
