Patient Issues
Emergency Room Waits Diminished: Hospitals Use Manufacturing Tools to Become Better for Patient, Better for the Hospital
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Mar 17, 2008 - 12:04:24 AM

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - More and more healthcare systems are discovering the competitive advantage of having processes that deliver consistent, quality care in an efficient manner. In response to this growing need, The University of Tennessee’s Center for Executive Education offers a new one-week course entitled, Lean Healthcare.(Pictured: Alex Miller, Dean - Center for Executive Education)


Lean Healthcare uses the successes that manufacturing has found with lean and applies them to healthcare. Even given the unique challenges facing the healthcare industry, healthcare systems can learn efficiencies from the successes that manufacturing has found with lean.

The University of Tennessee’s Center for Executive Education economists and business faculty have partnered with doctors to offer healthcare professionals Lean Healthcare.

Emergency Departments are changing how they evaluate and “flow” patients through their system to improve the hospital experience, improve the accessibility to health care and become welcoming. One such success story is that of Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, VA. They changed their ED dramatically by following the principles of “lean”, usually a process and tools that are used in manufacturing. What’s different at MWH is that patients are rapidly being evaluated without much waiting which is rare these days. MWH has typically 100,000 ED patients a year, but performs as if they have 20,000.

How does it work? Patient demand is accommodated with a system design which is catered to different patient chief complains so that patients who need little treatment aren’t subjected to the same stuff (this is waiting, but also some treatments) sicker patients are subjected to. The system is buffered with extra capacity to minimize patient waiting. It also employs a results waiting area for patients who do not need to occupy treatment bays (bed space) so that these areas can be used for other, sicker patients.

The real-life implications beyond shorter waits are improved quality, less risk of patient death, deterioration in the waiting room, and improved patient satisfaction. The hospitals may be saving money in the form of less testing also. Most importantly, it greatly increased the likelihood that you will be quickly evaluated and treated by a doctor if you truly have an emergency or life-threatening situation.

The University of Tennessee has matched economists with doctors to develop this program. Dr. Jody Crane at MWH and Dr. Chuck Noon, an economist at UT are behind the program Together they created this course at UT this year and attracting MDs, nurses, administrators nationally and internationally.


In addition to physician leaders, the program is appropriate for hospital executives, directors of ancillary operations, practice managers, or any influencer interested in operational improvement in healthcare. The program specifically is a mix of interactive lectures, hands-on case analyses, and experiential or computer simulations; each with a clear objective of conveying certain knowledge and/or skills. Within the course, the participant will understand the causes of operational dysfunction,gain new perspectives on operational improvement,
be able to better identify high-leverage areas for improvement,
gain an understanding of the various tools and techniques for improvement,understand the role of human and organizational elements in implementing and sustaining a lean transformation,
develop a road-map to begin or accelerate a lean transformation based on an organization’s needs, skills, culture, and commitment.

The UT Center for Executive Education has a long-standing reputation in the area of process improvement including statistical analysis and lean process management. This background and success of PEMBA (Physician Executive MBA) has set the stage for the rollout of this new program for the healthcare industry.

The course focuses on using operations improvement for increasing quality, efficiency, satisfaction, throughput, and, ultimately, profit (or mission). This combination of conceptual and practical expertise brings the best of both the academic and healthcare fields to the classroom.

For more information, go to The University of Tennessee’s Center for Executive Education website at http://thecenter.utk.edu.

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