STEP 344: An Introduction to LEAN (CE: 1.0)

Description:

LEAN thinking and Six Sigma have been utilized by manufacturing industries to decrease cost and improve quality and productivity by reducing variation and production defects. Because of the dramatic successes in manufacturing, there is rising interest in the healthcare industry about institutions implementing LEAN to accomplish such goals as decreased wait time in the Emergency Room, improved bed capacity, and decreased wait for patient phlebotomy and laboratory services. In this article, the authors discuss the basics of LEAN, a bit of Six Sigma, and suggest how to apply the concepts to the microbiology laboratory in order to work “smarter,” more cost-effectively, and provide timely clinically relevant accurate results.

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss the history of LEAN and process improvements
• Discuss the benefits of LEAN implementation
• Reflect on an example of LEAN being utilized in susceptibility testing

Author(s):

Deborah Shelly, MT, MS

Joel Mortensen, PhD

Launched: 2008