If there was ever a field in need of our knowledge, consulting, and experience as teachers in OM, it is our hospitals. If you have had the unfortunate experience of spending time in an ER, an OR, or an overnight stay, you will really appreciate this book.
Or if you are just looking for great examples of OM and TQM in the health care field, I highly recommend it. Lean Hospitals, by Mark Graban (Productivity Press, 2009, 252 pages) is simply excellent. Each chapter is full of stories and data you can use in class. Graban describes, in real hospitals, how lean improves patient outcomes, increases employee and physician satisfaction, all while saving money.
Lean is not new in hospitals, as Graban traces auto production methods back to a Michigan hospital in 1922.
Chapters 1 and 2 are introductory, Chapter 3 deals with Value and Waste, Chapter 4 with Value Streams , Chapter 5 with Standardized Work, Chapter 6 with Visual Management, 5S and Kanban, Chapter 7 with Root Causes, Chapter 8 with Error Proofing, Chapter 9 with Improving Flows, and Chapter 10 with Engaging Employees.
I found myself taking notes in every chapter. Graban’s writing style makes this a very readable book. Mark also keeps a useful web site that is worth visiting.
Thanks for reading my book and for posting the review!
Another good reference about lean in health care is “On the Mend”, by John Toussaint and Roger A. Gerard, published by the Lean Enterprise Institute, 2010.
http://www.lean.org/Bookstore/ProductDetails.cfm?SelectedProductId=275
I agree, On the Mend is an outstanding addition to the literature.
I say this with the disclaimer that I work for the publisher, LEI, and I was involved in the editing process.