Article on Virginia Mason using TPS

This is a great article about Virginia Mason's Lean Journey and how they are building a better hospital based on the Toyota Production System...

Here's the first section... read the rest of the article at http://www.seattlepi.com/local/355128_lean15.html

To build a better hospital, Virginia Mason takes lessons from Toyota plants

By CHERIE BLACK
P-I REPORTER

When you think of a hospital, what comes to mind? Patients, emergency rooms, technology and medical advancements. Making the sick and injured well again.

When officials at Virginia Mason think of hospitals, they think of cars. A car manufacturing plant, to be exact.

Beginning in 2000 the hospital's leaders looked at their infrastructure and saw it was designed around them, not the patient, said Dr. Gary Kaplan, Virginia Mason's chairman and chief executive officer.

For example, you hurry up and be on time, only to wait for the physician to see you.

They began looking for a better way to improve quality, safety and patient satisfaction...

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