Kaizen Methods: Improving Healthcare Management and Administration

This report investigates the application of Kaizen methods to improve clinical, healthcare management, and administration processes, focusing on a case study from Lincoln County Hospital. The report analyzes the impact of ambulance handover delays and other issues, linking them to the 8 wastes of lean. It highlights areas for improvement, such as ambulance arrival times, decision-making skills, and patient access to resources. The report details how the Kaizen process works, emphasizing continuous improvement and collaboration, and explores the 5S model as a lean triad method to address issues like delays in patient treatment and lack of resources. It also discusses the challenges in managing the post-Kaizen process, including leadership and teamwork. Furthermore, the report reflects on the Kaizen approach, using the Driscoll reflective model to analyze the importance of leadership and teamwork in achieving successful outcomes and improving the quality of healthcare services. The conclusion emphasizes the role of Kaizen in improving healthcare processes, reducing errors, and enhancing patient care, while also highlighting the importance of employee involvement and effective leadership.

Improving a clinical or a
health care management or
administration process using
Kaizen methods

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Brief description of case study....................................................................................................3
How Kaizen process works to achieve change............................................................................5
One of the lean triad methods of Kaizen project.........................................................................6
Reflection on Kaizen process......................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
This study is going to show importance of Kaizen process which helps healthcare
department in improving quality of their services (Kumar, Dhingra and Singh, 2018). It will also
show uses of 5S model of lean process which also help hospital in solving their all problems and
accomplishing pre-determined goals.
Brief description of case study
In the case study of Lincoln County hospital, it is analysed that patients with traumatic
injury have to wait longer minutes for ambulance arrival (Guzman and et.al., 2019). It creates
several other problems. Some informations regarding care of patient are being gathered in which
it is found that ambulance handover delays is one of the main problems of challenges which this
hospital is facing. There are several problems are being identified such as:
It is also stated that patients wait for approximately 100 minutes or almost 1 hour and 30
minutes for ambulance arrival and handed over to trust staff for further treatment and care.
One of the other problem is trust staff do not have assurance for making sure procedures
which they follow.
Lack of decision making by seniors can also create problem and delay in starting treatment
(Olson, Scherer and Cohen, 2017).
Patients do not have access on resources and services due to overcrowding.
Fish bone diagram: One of the main purposes of using this diagram in this case study is to help
inspectors or trust staff in identifying reasons which are crating all these problems. All these
problems are becoming reason of poor health of patients so, it is important for them to identify
cause and effect with the help of this diagram (Rees and Gauld, 2017).

Link problems with lean: All these problems of Lincoln County hospital can be linked with 8
wastes of lean in which defects in the process of treatment can be solved by efforts of staffs
(Jorma and et.al., 2016). Errors in the treatment process can be caused by scrap and incorrect
informations regarding patients. All other problems like lack of access to resources and services
can be linked to waiting waste of lean which states that wasted time can never be gained but
people can take an effective use of it is saving time in next or further processes. Lack o decision
making skill can also be linked with the non-utilized talent waste of lean which states
underutilizing people’s talent and skills (Jorma and et.al., 2016).

Areas need to improve: At the time of inspection and identifying this case study some areas
have been identified which need to be improved in an effective manner and in a timely manner.
Some areas for improvement are:
1. Ambulance handover delay or delay in arrival of patients. In this problem, patients have
to wait for long for arrival of ambulance which delays in starting their treatment
(Habibov, Auchynnika and Isabekova, 2018).
2. Lack of decision making skills as well as collaboration among senior and trust staff. Lack
of decision making skill or thinking about the best treatment which needs to be given to
patient can also delay in starting their treatment.
3. Other main issue which need to be improved or solved immediately is patients remained
on assessment trolleys for longer minutes or hours. For sustained pressure damage, trust
staff needs to take action immediately.
4. Lack of access on some services and resources by patients due to overcrowding or lack of
skilled workforce (Coccia, 2018).
5. Lack of specific local vision by staff for addressing longstanding issues mainly for
provision of children services.
So, from the above discussed problem, overall it can be said that one of the main area which
need to be focussed and resolved is improving quality of healthcare services to patients and make
them feel valued. By providing them access to resources and employing effective workforce and
with the help of Kaizen process it can be resolved.
How Kaizen process works to achieve change
Kaizen is one of the best and effective approaches who focuses on continuous
improvement. This process or an approach believes that a continuous or ongoing positive change
can make bog improvement (Rees and Gauld, 2017). It is based on collaboration or cooperation
which is important for staff of Lincoln County hospital because they lack in decision making
process. They take time in starting treatment for patients. It is analysed from the case study of
Lincoln County hospital the overall problem of this hospital is poor quality of patients services
and treatment which are becoming reason of poor health of patients. So, it is important for them
to focus on quality of services of healthcare. With the help of implementing kaizen process or

approach, trust staff of the hospital can improve quality by reducing errors in the process of
treatment (Graban and Swartz, 2018).
By taking actions with the help of Kaizen approach, they can make sure that ambulance
handover are on timely and effective manner as it is one of the main problems. They can also
make sure that all patients are also being assessed in a timely and effective manner. Trust staff,
medical staff is giving appropriate treatments to them by collaboration and cooperation (Pinto
and et.al., 2018).
One of the lean triad methods of Kaizen project
There are several lean triad methods by which trust and medical staff of Lincoln County
hospital can solve all problems which they are facing in their emergency and trauma department.
One of the best and effective triad methods of lean is 5S which refers a methodology which can
result a workplace which is clean, safe, well, uncluttered and organized to support in reducing
errors or waste for improving quality and productivity (Ishijima and et.al., 2019).
Main issue: Before using 5S model it is important to identify the main problem. By all
problems, one main problem which is identified is delay in treatment to patients or poor quality
of services to patients due to lack of decision-making skills, lack of access to services and
resources etc. So, it is important for trust and medical staff is to improve quality of treatment and
healthcare services (El-Sherbiny, Ibrahim and Younis, 2019).
Uses of selected process: With the help of 5S and implementing this at workplace of hospital,
trust can solve the main problem such as: In Sort or first S, all equipments and resources can be
arranged in a manner which can be used by staff and patients as per their problem. They also
need to remove unnecessary objects. In the nest S, Set in order, it is important for staff of the
hospital to keep all work materials in an optimal location by which patients can have quick and
effective access (Soesilo, 2017). Other S refers shine by which, staff require to clean all work
materials and equipment which are being used for treatment in order to improve quality and
reducing errors. In next S, standardize all processes for sorting, cleanliness and order need to be
standardized as well as implemented across all units of the hospital. In the last S of 5S model
sustain hospital and all members need to take initiative in order to make all processes and
services sustainable and qualitative for the long run (Kumar and et.al., 2017).

Issues in managing post kaizen process: Managing processes with the help of Kaizen is
not an easy task as there are several problems occur while implementing and after
implementation of the process. One of the main principle of Kaizen process is involve all
employees of different level and an effective leadership.
Team working or involving all employees in this process in the most critical task. There are
different types of employees who resist changes or do not prefer to change their way of
performance as it can decrease their productivity for some time (Follen and et.al., 2018).
Other main problem in managing post kaizen process is lack of leadership,. For managing this
process, it is important to have an effective leadership who can guide people and manage on a
continuous basis. Lack of some skills of a leadership ca creates several problems for this
hospital. It is also stated that sometimes, hospitals or healthcare departments are required to
make changes in their organizational culture accordingly (Graban and Swartz, 2018).
Reflection on Kaizen process
In the context of Kaizen approach, I can say that it is one of the best models which does
not only support manufacturing companies but also support health care departments to improve
their quality. I have analysed main 2 principles of this approach which are: leadership and
teamwork. With the help of Driscoll reflective model, i can better analyse my experience about
Kaizen process and its importance which is:
What: As per the first stage of this model, i can say that one of the main aims of
reflecting this is to let all people know about the importance of Kaizen and reasons of using this.
In this I can say that i learned about 2 main principles and factors play an important role in this
Kaizen process or model which is team working and leadership. I found that An effective
leadership is important and the key of the success because a leader guide all members in
identifying wastes or errors in the process and identifying the best possible way of reducing all
problems or errors. In addition, team working or working with team members also allow nurses
and practitioners to improve services. Lack of both can create several problems, I found that lack
of an effective leadership decreased morale of patients and made poor quality of services.
So what: In this I can say that with the help of an effective nurses and any type of
company can make themselves successful. Leadership in kaizen plays an important role and it is

main principle by which only companies can implement this approach successfully. (Lubis,
2017). So, I can say that by encouraging all employees only, company can accomplish their
goals.
Now What: Teamwork is other main principle and as per my view and it is the heart of
Kaizen process. As per this, a successful Kaizen implementation happen when all members of an
organization and healthcare department work with collaboration in order to accomplish the main
common goal. (Chiarini, Baccarani and Mascherpa, 2018). In this context, i can say that Kaizen
leader is an individual who is responsible for group of people and responsible for improving
quality and reducing errors. I can also say that if I face such type of situation again than I will
immediately focus on collaboration and developing skills of leadership.
CONCLUSION
On the basis of above discussion it can be concluded Kaizen improvement process played
a vital role as it supported hospital in improving quality of their healthcare services. It has
several approaches and with the help of one of the effective approach 5S model, it has made
company able to reduce errors in the process of healthcare and improving quality. Further, it has
also shown importance of fishbone method which allows company in identifying the main issue
and links it with causes or reason. It has also discussed some issues which occur after
implementation of Kaizen process which is related to team work and leadership. But with the
help of 5S model and proper analysis, all these issues are being identified and solved. It has also
shown ways of developing Kaizen for hospitals in order to improve quality of processes, services
and reducing errors. By involving all employees, making some changes in organizational culture,
having an effective leadership, focusing on collaboration, company can implement this process.

REFERENCES
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