Frequently Asked Questions « FlowOne Lean Consulting

What makes the FlowOne engagement process unique?

At FlowOne, we take a unique approach to lean implementations. Rather than begin with training sessions delivered broadly across the organization and then a pilot project or two, we go right to the heart of the care delivery system: the physician. We work with one physician at a time to make significant changes to the way that physician’s clinic or practice operates. The care team and the physician work together with the FlowOne consultant to analyze their current process and trial improvements. As that physician’s clinic begins to see success, other physicians and areas begin to pull the lean process. Creating a pull system for lean change in this way ensures the investment in lean is made where it will reap the most benefit.

Lots of lean initiatives fail. What are the key success factors in the FlowOne process?

We’ve found that working directly with the physician and her team is the critical success factor in our process. The physician who takes the lead in a lean transformation can re-imagine the care delivery process for his clinic or practice, and can transform the clinic’s culture along the way. And, that transformed clinic and culture catch the eye of the larger organization, leading to the involvement of other areas in their own lean transformations.

Another success factor is our pull system of training delivery. With FlowOne, a lean team learns exactly what they need to know when they need to know it. This approach avoids the frustration of “sheep dip” training approaches to lean, in which many people go through training, but then are never given the chance to use that knowledge. Our pull system also ensures that the training investment has a high return, since the people participating in training are those who are actively engaged in a lean transformation.

Finally, we’ve learned that the people who are best able to transform a given system are the ones working in it, so we empower physicians and nurses to take the lead in change. Lean transformations do not happen in a conference room, and they do not happen without the input of the people delivering patient care. Our process engages physicians, nurses, support staff and administrators in the quest to provide the best possible patient care.

What kind of results can the typical clinic operation expect?

In the clinic environment, our clients have achieved:

25% less space utilized
25% increase in capacity
50% reductions in wait times
improved patient and staff satisfaction scores

Why does the FlowOne process focus on wait times as the key metric?

We focus on patient wait times as the critical metric for two important reasons. First, wait times indicate whether or not the overall system is functioning well. Asking questions like, “Why are patients waiting 20 minutes in the exam rooms?” or “Why did the clinic run over an hour today?” leads to a chain of inefficiencies, hand-offs, missed communications, and role confusion. When patients flow through the clinic without unnecessary wait times, a great number of things are going right. But, when patients wait in the waiting room, exam rooms or at supplying departments, any number of things can be going wrong.

Secondly, wait times provide a real, measurable and unifying metric for the lean team. We know that the lean efforts are having an impact when wait times begin to decrease. Other firms measure the number of people trained or the number of “rapid improvement” workshops conducted; at FlowOne we prefer to measure real, patient-centered results. Wait times give the team a common goal and a reliable indicator of success.

Who sees the benefit of a FlowOne lean transformation?

A true lean transformation benefits everyone in the care delivery process, from physicians to patients. Physicians see time wasters and distractions removed from the process of seeing patients. They have the information they need when they need it, creating a calm environment for patient consultation and diagnosis.

Nurses begin to see their full range of expertise utilized and appreciated, and have new opportunities to develop their leadership potential. They find a stronger voice in the process because roles are clarified and performance feedback is measurable.

Administrators benefit from a changed management structure. The FlowOne process results in clearly communicated performance data, which in turn makes shared decision making and collaboration with physicians easier.

Most importantly, patients experience a smoother, more coordinated care process, have more time with their doctors to discuss diagnoses and treatments, and leave the clinic with higher satisfaction scores.

How can I learn more about lean in healthcare?

The debate about healthcare improvement and reform has taken center stage in American politics. To learn about current national priorities and future trends, visit www.whitehouse.gov.

For a comprehensive overview of lean principles and their genesis in manufacturing, we recommend Jeff Liker’s book, “Lean Thinking.”

For more information on the benefits of lean in healthcare or to request an onsite introductory training seminar, click Contact Us on this website, or call us at 412-612-0500.

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