New Book on How Seattle Children's Hospital is Leading the Lean Healthcare Journey

Dec. 17, 2010 - PRLog -- Every healthcare organization can learn from Seattle Children’s continuous improvement process, but this book is not an operator’s manual. Instead, it is a challenge to everyone concerned with healthcare to reexamine deeply held assumptions. While it is commonly believed that improved quality, access, and safety, and an improved bottom line are mutually exclusive, Seattle Children’s demonstrates that it quite possible to realize all these improvements concurrently. Written by remarkable change agents from the front lines at Seattle Children’s and other forward-thinking organizations, this book discusses ways to transform key personnel into change agents and engage all staff in a patient-focused culture dedicated to eliminating waste and improving all aspects of quality and care.

Change agents from Seattle Children’s Hospital, Jefferson Healthcare, and The Everett Clinic in Washington; Memorial Care in California; and Minnesota Children’s Hospital and Clinics all make contributions to this book. Each one tells of challenges overcome through continuous improvement. Providing both example and inspiration, these organizations stand as proof that effective mindful change is feasible. Their stories of hard-gained progress is for healthcare professionals who have the willingness to look critically at their work and the tenacity to find better, less wasteful ways to deliver safe, high-quality care.

Endorsements

“Joan Wellman and her colleagues provide examples of dramatic performance improvements. Using their practical examples, you can be on your way to becoming a leader who transforms your organization, empowers your team, adds value, and saves lives.”
—Ken Graham, CEO, El Camino Hospital, Mountain View, California

“ … Pat Hagan and his colleagues tell a compelling story of change at an enormously prestigious institution …. It is a story of humility and the courage to go outside of healthcare to learn. … while 10 years ago, lean in healthcare was interesting, today it is essential.”
—J. Michael Rona, Rona Consulting Group

“Joan Wellman and co-authors Pat Hagan and Howard Jeffries are true pioneers in the lean healthcare world. Their book… puts lean into the right context for healthcare leaders and change agents. …Engaging and well-written, I recommend it highly.”
—Mark Graban, author of Lean Hospitals: Improving Quality, Patient Safety, and Employee Satisfaction

About the Author

Joan Wellman has spent over twenty-five years consulting in large scale change initiatives in the aerospace, telecommunications, high technology, energy and healthcare industries.  She pioneered the application of lean principles in healthcare starting in 1995.  Her most recent healthcare clients include: Seattle Children’s Hospitals, Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Harborview Medical Center, and University of Washington Medical Center.  Joan is  a frequent speaker at national conferences including Organization Development Network, American Society for Training and Development, Society of Pediatric Anesthesia, MGMA and the National Association for Healthcare Quality.  She has served as a guest speaker for the University of Washington  Executive MBA program and has served as adjunct to the faculty of the University of San Francisco Graduate School.  Joan is a former member of the Overlake Hospital Board of Directors.

Patrick Hagan joined the Seattle Children’s Hospital in May 1996 and currently serves as its president and chief operating officer.  Over the past 25 year he has held executive positions at children’s hospitals in Ohio and Arizona and Seattle.  Learning from Joan Wellman and the experiences of Toyota, Boeing, Genie and other companies utilizing continuous improvement principles and tools, Pat has led and helped develop the CPI strategy at Seattle Children’s.  Uniquely, Seattle Children’s CPI strategy builds not only upon continuous improvement methodology bus also upon the Service “hardwiring: lessons of Quint Studer and others, and the Engagement philosophy espoused by the Gallup Organization.  This multi-dimensional approach has much to do with Children’s outstanding success in improving its performance in service quality, clinical access, patient safety, staff engagement, and financial results.  Pat has sponsored, led, or participated in several Rapid Process Improvement Workshops, and teaches Children’s week-long Lean Leader Training course.  Over the past several years Pat has spoken at numerous conferences and institutions about CPI and Seattle Children’s successful application of this transformative strategy.

Howard Jefferies is currently a cardiac intensive care physician with Seattle Children’s Hospital and Medical Director o Continuous Performance Improvement.  He is board certified in pediatric critical care medicine.  He received his medical degree from Tulane University in New Orleans, did his residency at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, IL and his fellowship at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.

Leading the Lean Healthcare Journey: Driving Culture Change to Increase Value
ISBN: 9781439828656, 292 pp., Paperback, $59.95

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