KeralaClick.com |

Leaning Toward Lean: Clear Thinking For Better Health(Care)



Mindfulness is all about paying attention. It's amazing what can be accomplished when mindfulness is applied to systems that need all the attention they can get. If there's an industry that needs some CPR and TLC, it's healthcare.

Cindy Jimmerson is a 30-year trauma nurse who is passionate about streamlining healthcare processes. Her consulting company, Lean HealthCare West, is blasting through always-done-it-that-way thinking to reduce waiting time for patients, eliminate staff errors, and save hospitals and patients millions of dollars.

She is the Queen of Lean in hospitals, and she's on a mission to improve the health of our country's largest industry--$1.76 trillion in 2002, and soon to explode as the baby-boomers hit their sixties.

When it comes to looking for powerful tools for transforming processes, we're fortunate to have a proven model that continues to outperform peers around the world. The Toyota Production System was originally developed by an American, W. Edwards Deming, who couldn't get anyone in the U.S. to pay attention to his approach. The Japanese listened and learned. Today, TPS continues to propel industries toward greater productivity, less waste, improved quality, and increased workplace appreciation.

Cindy's firm takes TPS straight to the ER and beyond. Now, you might think that a model focusing on getting product moved through the assembly line more efficiently is completely inappropriate for handling human patients. You would be dead wrong.

TPS focuses on adding value to what matters most--in this case, caring for patients. In doing so, it takes a hard look at every step taken which results in less contact with those who need care. The customer is king, and in healthcare, the customer is the patient. Instead of developing ways to make hospitals more profitable by relegating the patient to widget status, TPS restores the patient as the primary focus. How refreshing!

There's a common misconception that people do not like change. I happen to love rearranging rooms every season. However, I'd probably get a little cranky if I walked into my house and found that someone else had moved all the furniture.

The real story is that people do not like change that is imposed upon them, but they appreciate being part of the solution. Employees using TPS love having the opportunity to creatively explore options that allow them to perform their work with greater efficiency. And why not? It helps them reconnect to the best parts of their job.

Toyota walks its talk. It would be one thing if the company had a policy of being "open to suggestions" while rarely making any changes. But Toyota consistently acts on its employees' recommendations. In fact, the most recent figures indicate that the company implemented 99% of its yearly total of over 700,000 employee ideas!

That same emphasis on valuing the knowledge and experience of employees and trusting them to develop better processes is the key to tackling healthcare's estimated waste--a whopping 50%.

TPS is mindfulness in action--paying attention to extra steps, inconvenient sequences, and indirect communication. The best part? Anyone can do it.

Doctors, nurses and other hospital workers are hard-working, compassionate people who are committed to providing their patients with top-notch care. Broken systems get in the way. Mindful management can repair those systems, and in the process, everyone wins.

Mindfulness at work? It works.

Talk to your doctor about getting lean.

About The Author

Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse offering specialized mindfulness training to indiviuals and corporate groups in the Pacific Northwest. To subscribe to her free weekly ezine, visit http://www.massageyourmind.com. To learn more about lean healthcare, visit http://leanhealthcarewest.com

[email protected]


MORE RESOURCES:

Teen weight loss program shows some benefit
Reuters
By Kerry Grens | NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A low-key, long term approach to teen weight loss produced modest benefits in a clinical trial, Australian researchers report, though a version of the program that added texts and emails didn't help kids ...

and more »


For weight loss, cutting back on calories matters most | Timi Gustafson
Tukwila Reporter
There is no real evidence that low-carb, low-fat or high-protein diets make as big a difference as overall calorie reduction when it comes to weight loss, according to Dr. George Bray who worked on the study. “Earlier research had found that certain ...

and more »


Choose a Medical Weight Loss Center with a Superior Safety Track Record
MarketWatch (press release)
Dr. Feiz & Associates is a widely respected source for weight loss in Los Angeles, not just because of their success rate, but also because of their enduring commitment to the highest safety standards. Dr. Michael Feiz and his team have never had a ...

and more »


Us Magazine

Beyoncé's post-baby body is hers -- not ours
The Grio
"A lot of postpartum weight loss has to do with genes or the individual woman. Some women will look like they were never pregnant shortly after delivery, while others will struggle with weight loss," said theGrio.com's health editor Dr. Tyeese Gaines.
Beyonce's Amazing Baby Weight LossExaminer.com

all 395 news articles »


PRunderground

Hypnosis For Weight Loss Has Hypnotherapist Doctor Busy In New York & Connecticut
PRunderground
Dr Ellyn Gamberg is a hypnosis for weight loss hypnotherapist in New York and Connecticut. Yesterday on his show Dr. Oz put that idea in the minds of millions of Americans. People all over Europe have been saying for years that Virtual Gastric Banding ...
Health: Hypnosis Lap Band, A Non-Invasive Way To Lose WeightCBS Local

all 3 news articles »


HealthJockey.com

New weight loss techniques could be used as alternatives to liposuction
HealthJockey.com
Most people would agree that getting rid of stubborn body fat can be a tough row to hoe. New techniques involving fat removal technologies that are regarded as non-invasive are coming forth, report scientists from the American Academy of Dermatology.

and more »


FHN to offer personalized weight loss program
Freeport Journal-Standard
By Karen Eisenhauer FHN is offering the personalized weight loss class, "Create Your Weight" from 4-5 pm Feb. 20 at FHN hospital, 1045 W. Stephenson St., Freeport. The class offers a personal weight reduction plan developed and led by registered ...

and more »


Houston Weight Loss Surgeons Discuss How to Choose the Right Bariatric Practice
San Francisco Chronicle (press release)
Drs. Yu and Scarborough discuss key aspects to look for in a practice before undergoing a weight loss procedure such as gastric plication to help improve results and get patients back on track towards leading a healthier life.

and more »


Weight Loss Rules You're Allowed to Break
FitSugar.com (blog)
Even though there are some very specific guidelines that can help you reach your goal faster, there's no one-size-fits-all weight-loss plan for everyone. Here are five rules you can bend and still drop pounds from the scale.
Ask the Diet Doctor: How Many Calories Should I Eat to Lose Weight?Shape Magazine

all 3 news articles »


Mother Nature Network (blog)

Weight loss: A possible benefit of the recession?
Mother Nature Network (blog)
Evidently there is some evidence pointing towards a link between an economic recession and weight loss. While one of the Freakonomics co-authors, Stephen Dubner, thought that the recession would lead to weight gains because people would head for fast ...

and more »

Google News

Google
home | site map
© KeralaClick.com 2006