On the Mend: Revolutionizing Healthcare to Save Lives and Transform the Industry

by John Toussaint, Ph.D. Gerar, Roger A.

Part case study, part manifesto, this groundbreaking new book by a doctor and a healthcare executive uses real-life anecdotes and the logic of lean thinking to make a convincing argument that a revolutionary new kind of healthcare - lean healthcare - is urgently needed and eminently doable. In On the Revolutionizing Healthcare to Save Lives and Transform the Industry John Toussaint, MD, former CEO of ThedaCare, and Roger A. Gerard, PhD, its chief learning officer, candidly describe the triumphs and stumbles of a seven-year journey to lean healthcare, an effort that continues today and that has slashed medical errors, improved patient outcomes, raised staff morale, and saved $27 million dollars in costs without layoffs. Toussaint and Gerard prove that lean healthcare does not mean less care. On the Mend shows that when care is truly re-designed around patients, waste and errors are eliminated, quality improves, costs come down, and healthcare professionals have more time to spend with patients, who get even better care.

Genres: Health Care, Business, Nonfiction, Medicine, Professional Development, Health

181 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Healthcare is in an extremely challenging state and this book brings up a series of great points regarding where our focus should be in addressing the issues. The target audience is primarily other healthcare organizations, so if you don't work in healthcare you may find some of the statistics and stories alarming. The authors make great points, and I hope this book will help in making the case for shifting the focus across-the-board cost cutting rather than quality improvement and better service delivery.

I work for ThedaCare, the organization they write about, and my views do not necessarily reflect those of my organization.

[Andrea Smith]

I read most of this book, just for my education to learn about REIs.

[Lora Blag · Rating 4 out of 5]

Revolutionizing healthcare to save lives and transform the industry. This is about lean in healthcare and covers process and people

[Pamela Pickering · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good info but way to heavy on all the details of Thedacare. Too bad more tools weren't included. And if the Thedacare people come to talk to you about the LEAN process, bring a pillow. Kim Barnas droned for two hours at our facility (two people fell asleep at my table). Ask AONE and RWJ to come instead and give their Transforming Care at the Bedside presentation (same concept). They'll keep you interested and will get you involved in hands on demonstrations--now if only they [AONE or RWJ] would write a book. Hmmm...I wonder if they have?

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Governments can tweak payment systems and probably get some temporary fiscal relief. But until we focus reform efforts on where most of the money goes, which is healthcare delivery, we will remain stuck in a revolving door of near disaster and narrow escapes. To get to the point where all people have access to high-quality healthcare, affordably, we must focus our attention on how the healthcare delivery system determines costs and quality. Then we need to change that delivery model entirely."

[Yalin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found myself nodding so many times while reading Toussaint's chronicle of how LEAN was introduced and managed in their healthcare business that I've already thought of a million ways to make things better for my operation at work. This is an inspiring and humble book about practical aspects of LEAN. It doesn't try to teach LEAN; rather it provides an example of how LEAN can be applied to non-manufacturing businesses. If you work in a service company, you should read this.

[Kevin O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is all about applying Lean ideas to Healthcare. John was the CEO at ThedaCare, and put this transformation into practice there. For people who think Lean is only about manufacturing, this book might be an eye-opener. And for anyone who, like me, is in the healthcare industry and interested in Lean, it is invaluable as a source of ideas.

[Tomasz M · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting story of how ThedaCare managed to apply the principles of Lean thinking to improve clinical outcomes and transform their organizational culture. The book is a good introduction to what is possible with lean in health care, but is certainly no step by step guide nor reference as to some of the key methods used.

[Randall O. Watkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book that gives the LEAN journey of a large healthcare system. This is an invaluable read for champions to provide to hospital executives, directors and managers in the pursuit of quality culture change.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful for my current job, but overall pretty boring. Just common sense problem solving with broad strokes, applied to the medical industry- the actionable tools can be found online. A good picture of how healthcare can and should be changed.

[Joel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good summary of Lean production with several good insights about the curlture of medicine and medical delivery systems.

[Wanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

I haven't even read it and I know it is a pile of poop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Walker*Management*Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommended by Professor Timothy Vogus

[Christa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Jim Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good, series of stories that include classic lean as well as topics such as succession planning, change stages.

[Stephen Jarman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first Lean Healthcare book I've read...more to follow