Using Kaizen to Improve Acute Rehabilitation Processes

Varun Venkateswaran, Laura Ikuma and Isabelina Nahmens

Construction Management and Industrial Engineering

Louisiana State University

Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70820

USA

Emily Pirch

Management Engineering

Ochsner Health System

New Orleans, Louisiana 70121

USA

Kaizen 36

Abstract

Lean management has been shown to be effective in healthcare by reducing non-value added activities, which in turn has a positive impact on patient flow. The objective of this study is to illustrate an application of Kaizen in an acute rehabilitation services department. The rehabilitation team had inefficient work processes in scheduling, communication among therapists and nursing staff, and traveling to the hospital floor before patients were ready for therapy. Kaizen was used to address inefficiencies and entailed two major steps: 1) pre-work observations- a 3-day Kaizen event with a team of nine therapists and one nurse; and 2) post-lean implementation analysis. The therapists recommended possible solutions like replacing beepers with text pagers, creating badge cards with important telephone numbers and developing an electronic schedule board to replace the current manual method. Following brainstorming, the therapists incorporated some of the suggested changes: creating and updating a patient discharge list, creating the telephone number cards, and calling ahead prior to traveling to patient rooms. The Kaizen event resulted in an increase in value added activities of 6%, mainly due to reduced traveling time. While these improvements are modest, future plans include implementing the electronic scheduling board for further improvements. 

Keywords

Lean healthcare, Kaizen, Physical Therapy