| Mindfulness is all about paying attention. It's | | | | ways to make hospitals more profitable by |
| amazing what can be accomplished when | | | | relegating the patient to widget status, TPS |
| mindfulness is applied to systems that need all the | | | | restores the patient as the primary focus. How |
| attention they can get. If there's an industry that | | | | refreshing! |
| needs some CPR and TLC, it's healthcare. | | | | There's a common misconception that people do |
| Cindy Jimmerson is a 30-year trauma nurse who | | | | not like change. I happen to love rearranging |
| is passionate about streamlining healthcare | | | | rooms every season. However, I'd probably get a |
| processes. Her consulting company, Lean | | | | little cranky if I walked into my house and found |
| HealthCare West, is blasting through | | | | that someone else had moved all the furniture. |
| always-done-it-that-way thinking to reduce waiting | | | | The real story is that people do not like change |
| time for patients, eliminate staff errors, and save | | | | that is imposed upon them, but they appreciate |
| hospitals and patients millions of dollars. | | | | being part of the solution. Employees using TPS |
| She is the Queen of Lean in hospitals, and she's | | | | love having the opportunity to creatively explore |
| on a mission to improve the health of our | | | | options that allow them to perform their work |
| country's largest industry--$1.76 trillion in 2002, and | | | | with greater efficiency. And why not? It helps |
| soon to explode as the baby-boomers hit their | | | | them reconnect to the best parts of their job. |
| sixties. | | | | Toyota walks its talk. It would be one thing if the |
| When it comes to looking for powerful tools for | | | | company had a policy of being "open to |
| transforming processes, we're fortunate to have | | | | suggestions" while rarely making any changes. But |
| a proven model that continues to outperform | | | | Toyota consistently acts on its employees' |
| peers around the world. The Toyota Production | | | | recommendations. In fact, the most recent |
| System was originally developed by an American, | | | | figures indicate that the company implemented |
| W. Edwards Deming, who couldn't get anyone in | | | | 99% of its yearly total of over 700,000 |
| the U.S. to pay attention to his approach. The | | | | employee ideas! |
| Japanese listened and learned. Today, TPS | | | | That same emphasis on valuing the knowledge |
| continues to propel industries toward greater | | | | and experience of employees and trusting them |
| productivity, less waste, improved quality, and | | | | to develop better processes is the key to tackling |
| increased workplace appreciation. | | | | healthcare's estimated waste--a whopping 50%. |
| Cindy's firm takes TPS straight to the ER and | | | | TPS is mindfulness in action--paying attention to |
| beyond. Now, you might think that a model | | | | extra steps, inconvenient sequences, and indirect |
| focusing on getting product moved through the | | | | communication. The best part? Anyone can do it. |
| assembly line more efficiently is completely | | | | Doctors, nurses and other hospital workers are |
| inappropriate for handling human patients. You | | | | hard-working, compassionate people who are |
| would be dead wrong. | | | | committed to providing their patients with |
| TPS focuses on adding value to what matters | | | | top-notch care. Broken systems get in the way. |
| most--in this case, caring for patients. In doing so, | | | | Mindful management can repair those systems, |
| it takes a hard look at every step taken which | | | | and in the process, everyone wins. |
| results in less contact with those who need care. | | | | Mindfulness at work? It works. |
| The customer is king, and in healthcare, the | | | | Talk to your doctor about getting lean. |
| customer is the patient. Instead of developing | | | | |