Mar 18, 2024  
Loyola Marymount University Bulletin 2015-2016 
    
Loyola Marymount University Bulletin 2015-2016 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

SELP 535 Lean Healthcare


3 semester hours

The U.S. healthcare system is in a crisis. While costs continue to rise to unsustainable levels, the average quality of care lags that of other industrialized nations. The professionals delivering health care are overworked and frustrated. Lean has been extraordinarily effective in increasing the efficiency of manufacturing processes. However, health care is not a simple manufacturing-like operation - it is a highly complex enterprise, with many stakeholders, very complex processes, non-standardized patients and medical problems, and great variability in processes and demand. These factors challenge the application of “traditional” lean techniques derived from manufacturing. This class will bridge the gap between traditional lean practices and the needs of healthcare enterprises. The class will begin with a review of basic lean concepts, with examples of how they can be applied to health care processes. Next, issues that complicate the application of lean to complex, high variability processes (such as many healthcare processes) will be covered, including handling variation, people and corporate culture issues, and the modifications required to make lean tools effective. Finally, implementation and sustainment issues will be covered. The class will mix traditional lecture-based instruction with a variety of active learning exercises, including a day-long clinic simulation exercise. Online course delivered by WebEx (3 hours per week plus homework). This course is available only to Certificate in Lean Healthcare Systems students or to non-degree students.