Quality Café: Exploring Lean: Strengthening the Quality Improvement Toolbox

Despite significant effort to improve healthcare, efficiency and effectiveness, rates of harm remain consistently high, and healthcare associated costs continue to grow.  This stark reality requires those within the system to adopt multi-faceted, innovative approaches to improving quality of care that will contribute to sustainment of our public system. 

Lean is one form of improvement that has been successfully utilized by several leading healthcare organizations in their efforts to meet the dynamic and growing demands of healthcare industry. Often thought of as a standalone method of improvement, Lean principles and tools are most effective when used in conjunction with other methodologies including the IHI Model for Improvement. 

By adopting Lean as part of a larger strategy for Quality Improvement, we can create a more robust, effective “toolbox” to support a mindset of continuous improvement that can be tailored to any setting or improvement effort. 

Learning Objectives 

At the end of this webinar, learners will be able to:

1. Describe how Lean fits with other quality improvement methodologies.
2. Identify specific ways Lean principles can be applied to guide improvement efforts within organizations.
3. Explain the foundational principles of Lean and their relevance to continuous improvement. 

Presenters

Erin McGarvey, BScN, MSN (she/her/hers)

Manager, Quality Training and Initiatives
Interior Health