Lean Thinking Course

Lean Healthcare

Learn proven quality management practices.

This course is only offered as a custom program.
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Course Summary

Learning Objectives

Course Overview

Credentials

Instructional Team

Additional Information

What is Lean Healthcare?

Lean Healthcare applies Lean principles to hospitals, clinics, and care systems. Participants learn how to improve patient flow, reduce delays, remove waste from administrative and clinical processes, and build more reliable healthcare operations.

Course Summary

Discounts

The following GoBlue pricing discounts are available and cannot be combined. Please contact us at [email protected] for a promotional code that will allow you to apply the eligible discount to your registration.

With 15 or more enrollments, you may want to consider a custom program for your organization. Please contact us to learn more about our partnership opportunities.

Once you have paid, a discount cannot be added retroactively.

THESE DISCOUNTS ARE NOT APPLICABLE FOR PARTNER PROGRAMS.

Name Details Level
Group Discount Level 1 Enroll 3-4 participants in one course offering. 5%
Group Discount Level 2 Enroll 5 or more participants in one course offering. 10%
U.S. Government Current employees with .gov email (not applicable to government contractors). 10%
U.S. Military Active duty personnel, reservists, retired or disabled veterans. 10%
Students Currently enrolled student from any university; please send photo of date-stamped student ID. 10%
Michigan Engineering Professional Education Alumni Past participants of any Michigan Engineering Professional Education certificate course. 10%
U-M Alumni U-M alumni from any school or department – please send uniqname to [email protected] for confirmation. 20%
U-M Students and Staff Current U-M students, faculty, and staff – please send uniqname to [email protected] for confirmation. 20%
Go Blue Discounts
Instruction Time Completion Time CEUs
Lean Healthcare 5 days Canvas access ends after 30 days 4

This certificate course combines world-class Lean healthcare training expertise with hands-on applications. By choosing this custom program, you can design your curriculum to best support your team members, improve the quality of care, and reduce costs. Learn essential principles, systems, and tools that will prepare you to spearhead a Lean initiative in your healthcare organization. With patient safety at the forefront, Lean methodology can help any health system better its services and outcomes.

Learning Objectives

Grounded in a proven model for Lean transformation, the program focuses on the organizational development of people using Lean principles, systems, and tools. Our instructors encourage a broad vision of Lean as a catalyst for organizational culture change and continuous improvement. As a result of the Lean Healthcare course, you will be able to:

  • Understand how, when, and why Lean principles, systems, and tools apply to healthcare environments
  • Explain how implementing Lean thinking is intended to create sustainable organizational culture change
  • Comprehend the features and attributes of a Lean culture and the Lean Transformation Model
  • Apply Lean principles and methodologies to improve work processes and systems
  • Demonstrate effective coaching skills for developing problem-solving capabilities in others
  • Examine your own role and function pertaining to the development of a Lean organization
  • Analyze the application of Lean principles, systems, and tools for organizational improvement
  • Identify gaps between the current state and the desired future state of your organization or unitUnderstand how, when, and why Lean principles, systems, and tools apply to healthcare environments

Course Overview

LAPTOP REQUIRED FOR IN-PERSON OFFERINGS

  • Understand the universal application of Lean in all industries
  • Define Lean thinking:
    • Understand what your patients value
    • Create a culture of Continuous Improvement
    • Use data to drive improvement
    • Identify and eliminate waste
  • Apply learning through hands-on Lean Healthcare simulation
  • Learn about coaching and management methods, such as humble inquiry and go-see
  • Practice conveying Lean thinking and principles to your peers
  • Explain the purpose of a Value Stream Map, the process for creating one, and the outcome of doing so
  • Create a Value Stream Map using a practical case study
  • Analyze waste depicted by the Value Stream Map
  • Understand the transition from a Current State to an improved Future State
  • Introduce the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) formatted problem solving process
  • Create an understanding of the A3 thinking process and how it can be used in problem solving
  • Practice the process in a group setting
  • Go away with a sense of how you might use the process to improve results in your organization
  • Learn how to lead efforts in which tools and methods learned during the week can be put into practice
  • Better understand your role as a leader in Lean transformation
  • Understand Lean implementation as a change initiative
  • Return home with a sense of direction about how to improve results in your organization

Who Should Attend

All of the following attendees will benefit from Lean Healthcare:

  • Healthcare executives
  • Physicians
  • Nurses
  • Clinical staff
  • Industrial and management engineers
  • Laboratory and specialized healthcare services
  • Insurance company staff
  • Pharmaceutical staff

Credentials

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Digital Certificate

Certificate will be awarded upon successful completion of this course.

Instructional Team

Toni Benner

  • Lean Specialist and Instructor, Michigan Engineering Professional Education
  • Founder and Lean Transformation Coach, Healthcare 2020

Additional Information

How Lean Healthcare Is Used in Industry?

Hospitals and healthcare systems use Lean methods to improve patient flow, reduce wait times, and minimize errors in clinical and administrative processes. Teams apply tools like value stream mapping and standard work to streamline care delivery, improve coordination across departments, and enhance patient outcomes.

Skills

Patient flow improvement; waste reduction in care delivery; process reliability; service design; team-based improvement.

Audience

Healthcare leaders, clinicians, administrators, and operations teams improving care delivery and patient flow.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What does Lean Healthcare cover? Lean Healthcare applies Lean principles to hospitals, clinics, and care systems. Participants learn how to improve patient flow, reduce delays, remove waste from administrative and clinical processes, and build more reliable healthcare operations.

Who should take Lean Healthcare? Healthcare leaders, clinicians, administrators, and operations teams improving care delivery and patient flow.

How is Lean Healthcare used in practice? Healthcare organizations use these methods to improve patient experience, reduce delays, and make care processes more reliable.

Questions Professionals Also Ask

How does Lean improve patient flow? What waste exists in healthcare operations? How do healthcare teams use Lean?

Related Courses

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Design for Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing

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Get Started

For more information or answers to any questions please email [email protected] or fill out the form.