Lean Management (2)


We’re hurting people in health care more than we think. Providers and other health care specialists frequently balance the art and the science of medicine. While many clinical studies and evidence of best practices guide our work, we are still dependent on medical specialists and staff to use their best critical thinking, judgment, and knowledge gained through experience to deliver high-quality health care. The challenge is that...
How Does Standard Work Lead to Better Patient...
Recent Blog Posts
What Is Lean Healthcare?

Applying Lean to healthcare The concept of Lean management is often misunderstood when it’s applied to healthcare. For example, some see Lean as a euphemism for...

What Is Heijunka in Health Care?

“Heijunka” is a Toyota Production System term defined as production leveling or smoothing. Our experience at Virginia Mason and in our work with health care clients...

Identifying the Seven Wastes to Build a Lean...

Start Your Healthcare Improvement Journey with This Lean Fundamental Imagine a healthcare organization where employees lack the training and tools to be successful...

8 Ways to Ensure Internal Communication Supports...

Communication forms the bedrock of any organization’s culture. In a culture dedicated to improvement, thoughtful communication is of the utmost importance. How an...

Expanding the Virginia Mason Production System to...

The Virginia Mason Health System earned a reputation for quality and safety thanks to our management method, the Virginia Mason Production System® (VMPS®), which...

Innovation: directed creativity implemented

“At Virginia Mason, our definition of innovation is directed creativity implemented”– Amy Tufano Over the course of a transformation journey, drivers of change...

Daily Management in Healthcare: Embedding...

“The idea is: let’s fix it in the moment.” World-Class Management, a foundational management system and pillar of the Virginia Mason Production System® (VMPS) has...

4 Key Lessons in Healthcare Transformation and...

In 2015, Virginia Mason Institute launched a five-year partnership with five National Health Service trusts in the United Kingdom: Surrey and Sussex Healthcare ...

Vision and Alignment in Healthcare: An...

What drives your teams to provide quality and value to each patient every day? How do you define those responsibilities and translate them to individual...

Selected Resources

Healthcare Improvement Insights

Explore articles, case studies, and research that help healthcare leaders drive sustainable improvement.

Mistake-Proofing Primary Care

Mistake-Proofing Primary Care

Start Your Lean Health Care Journey Learn More Problem Virginia Mason recognized that mistakes and ...

Mistake-Proofing Primary Care

Start Your Lean Health Care Journey Learn More Problem Virginia Mason recognized that mistakes and ...

Why a Midwest Health System Went to Virginia ...

Why a Midwest Health System Went to Virginia ...

“The fact that Virginia Mason is driven by the same purpose we are – serving patients and ...

Why a Midwest Health System Went to Virginia Mason Institute for Help

“The fact that Virginia Mason is driven by the same purpose we are – serving patients and ...

Managing Phone Calls in Primary Care

Managing Phone Calls in Primary Care

Problem Responding to patient phone calls at Virginia Mason consumed a great deal of clinic time ...

Managing Phone Calls in Primary Care

Problem Responding to patient phone calls at Virginia Mason consumed a great deal of clinic time ...