1.
What do you think were the underlying reasons for the performance problems
that Virginia Mason Hospital was encountering in the early 2000s?
2. What advantages the hospital receives from good operations management
(using lean production system)?
3. What do you think was the key to the apparently successful implementation of
lean production techniques at Virginia Mason?
Answer
1.In the early 2000s, Virginia Mason Medical Center faced a number of
challenges, including low financial returns, poor patient satisfaction, and high
staff turnover rate. The hospital implemented a number of changes when Dr.
Gary Kaplan became CEO of the Virginia Mason Medical Center. It was losing
money for the first time in its history, staff turnover rate is high and hospitals
presented areas are more competition.Within his first few months, Kaplan had
realized that the organization need a new strategy to maintain the quality of
leader in health services. Kaplan and his administrators decided to find an
effective tool to execute their strategy. Soon, they found the Toyota production
system, and the Virginia Mason Medical Center enhanced the opportunities for
overcoming challenges how to improve a production model in health care.
2. Yes, Virginia Mason Medical Center has gained many advantages from using
lean production system. First, Virginia Mason Production System has improved
the quality of services provided by the hospital. Second it has helped reduce
operating costs, supply costs, and labor rate. And it has increased productivity in
targeted areas. In fourth, it has helped improve patient satisfaction by reducing
errors, waiting time and improving processes. So the nurses have to spend
enough time to take care of patients. It has also reduced the distance and time
to walk in the hospital, so it has more time to care the patients.
3. Virginia Mason created the method of Virginia Mason Production System
based on Toyota Production System(TPS).But they realized that their method
was not enough to approach the changing and challenging the health care
environment. They built a new method based on lean production system that can
be able to use in health care systems. That was the five part ;
● Patient is Always Right
● Focus on Highest Quality and Safety
● Engage All Employees
● Strive for Highest Satisfaction
● Maintain a Successful Economic Enterprise
The patient is always on the top list in our health environment. And focusing on
the highest quality and safety is obtaining possibly the error in health by
eliminating the waste. Staff engage consistently with VMPS because they are
front of the lines, discussing the organizational priorities and opportunities for
improvement.By using the lean production method, staff reduce the stress and
more efficiently in work and it also impact for the patients. It reduce the waiting
time and error is to get the patient’s satisfactions. Upon the facts, they all to get
the successful economic strategy. To get the high investment return, we all
together make along the facts to maintain a successful economic enterprise.
