Performance Improvement for Healthcare: Leading Change with Lean, Six Sigma, and Constraints Management

Because I have relatives in the medical field (and have written on lean, six sigma, and constraints management), I read this book so I would know if I should recommend it. The answer is YES - read this book before you begin to implement ANY improvement process; it will save you time, money, and agony.Previous reviews have highlighted how the authors skillfully weave the three most popular improvement methodologies together and tell you when and how each should be applied. I agree wholeheartedly with their assessments. What they did not mention is the positive attitude the authors apply to current operations (no finger pointing, "you should have known better", etc.) They simply state prevalent current practice with incredible understanding and then suggest a way to achieve much better results. (As an accounting educator, I especially appreciate their understanding of GAAP and GASB, and the difference between external reporting and an internal decision support system.)The breadth of coverage of this book, along with its detailed and clear explanations, examples and cases, is incredible. Even TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving), a methodology to analyze and solve particularly incorrigible problems, is introduced. Despite the broad and detailed coverage, the book reads quickly. However, because the material is exciting, I found it best not to read in bed at night.

Good used copy price is reasonable!

Excellent book.

I like the book.This is the first book I have ever read on TOC written without Socratic method. I found it more friendly and feel more comfortable. I believe there are cultural differences between western and eastern societies. I think the friendly way of this book well complies with eastern culture.I like the light brief of TOC - Lean - 6sigma. This was a very frank brief since it is not attempting to explain everything. There is a wide list of references for those interested readers.I like the reasoning and focus on "Why to use it?" since I believe this is the most cruical part. Authors stay objective between Lean - 6sigma - TOC techniques. They are promoting CPI method which is a version of iTLS mentioned in Epiphanized book.I like the way of promotion also. I do not feel that they are trying to sell me a product. I feel that this is a very reasonable combination of these three techniques, evolved with experience. I feel inside the desire to meet the team rather than challenging to "do it yourself".I am not from healthcare industry but my brother and my father are surgeons. I could say I am not too distant to hospitals. I think the structure for CPI in a hospital is bureaucratic but I am not aware of internal Dynamics of a hospital anyway. I wish to have a structure based on the scale of hospital not to frighten small clinics. I feel myself secure if I sense that in CPI it is possible for Novaces to handle this bureaucracy onbehalf of us.I hope the authors will consider the possibility to rewrite the book in Turkish and this time as a business novel :)Utkan

The book, Performance Improvement for Healthcare, by Bahadir Inozu et al., principles at NOVACES, LLC, explains how healthcare administrators can manage their companies by using contemporary management concepts of Lean, Six Sigma and Constraints Management. These concepts all have been around for a long time, employed widely in other economic sectors and to some degree in healthcare. The book teaches how to appropriately combine these methods in an important sector of the economy.Healthcare still exhibits features of a cottage industry in the area of management, even while utilizing the most advanced technologies in patient care. Disproportionally increasing Healthcare expenses compared to the other expenses continue to be major concern for executives in government and private industry. Contemporary economy dictates efficiencies in every area and healthcare is not immune from it. Thus conditions are setting up a conflict-laden environment between payors and healthcare delivery apparatus. This book starts with a premise that good business and good patient care are paired. Good management will translate into more efficient and better healthcare delivery for the patients. The system is likely to fail everyone starting with the patient if one or another is not administered efficiently and effectively.The book starts with basic terminology. This is important and shows good insight by the authors because many healthcare administrators come from professional backgrounds who may have ascended from a technical pathway rather than a management pathway to their current position. The book proceeds with examples of thinking process, buffer management and supply chain logistics to demonstrate how one can increase the throughput even in the face of adverse payor conditions and turn a profit. The book brings clarity to the operations and helps avoid artificial constraints for a more profitable organization. Critical role of the structured Performance Improvement is emphasized, which formalizes management's traditional role of planning, organizing and controllingThis book should reside on every healthcare administrator's desk regardless of their position. The future will present tremendous challenges to healthcare institutions and people who run them. An executive administrator needs to know and understand the concepts explained in this book to be able to steer their organizations through the treacherous waters of the current economy. Failure will mean replacement. The subject matter of Lean, Six Sigma and Constraints Management will be thought of more extensively in Master of Healthcare Management programs, and the more competent and younger graduates will push their way upward and dislodge any middle or upper manager who fails to learn, understand and employ these modern management techniques in an ever shortening horizon.Tamer Acikalin, M.D, MBA

I found the concept and general dialogue of this book to be informative, understandable and very timely to the present health care situation.