Good news for healthcare is that significant and proven innovations are available to eliminate waste and improve institutional function through the use of Lean and Six Sigma. It is the application of Lean – Six Sigma practices such as 5S, value stream mapping, pitch, standard work, mistake proofing, Voice of the Customer, etc. applied to non-patient and patient processes that will reduce waste and variation, improve the quality of care, and help improve the bottom-line.

  • By:  Rob Ptacek, Mark Coats, Col. (Retired, US Army), Todd PtacekToday's Lean Leader is designed for use as a quick and convenient reference, or as a training guide to improve your effectiveness in leading, supervising, and coaching employees. It provides valuable insight into the How To's of leadership and supervision. Today's Lean Leader can be used in a variety of ways, some of which are: (1)The guide is valuable for the new or veteran leader - supervisor (2) Remarkably, the guide in the hands of the workforce makes the task of leading and supervising all the easier when everyone is on the same page on these basic principles.
  • Sale!

    The New Lean Healthcare Pocket Guide

    Original price was: $7.95.Current price is: $6.95.
    By: Debra Hadfield (RN MSN), Shelagh Holmes (RN), Sue Kozlowski, Todd Sperl, and Don Tapping
    The New Healthcare Pocket Guide is a collection of input from healthcare professionals and Lean Sensei.  It provides easy-to-use and easy-to-understand tools, methods, and concepts based on the world-class Toyota Motor Company (i.e., Lean).  The New Lean Healthcare Pocket Guide is design for use as a quick and easy reference as you learn and implement Lean tools.  The tools of 5S, continuous flow, cycle time, document tagging, error proofing, goals and outcomes, Just-In-Time, takt time, standard work, pitch, plus all the other Lean tools are thoroughly explained.  This “newer” version includes additional case studies, actual photos, an index, as well as compliments the Value Stream Management for Lean Healthcare book.  This book will assist any healthcare facility in the enabling them into a Lean environment where the focus is on both driving strategic change and meeting operational goals.
  • Sale!

    The New Lean Healthcare Pocket Guide XL

    Original price was: $12.95.Current price is: $10.95.
    By: Debra Hadfield (RN, MSN), Shelagh Holmes (RN), Sue Kozlowski, Todd Sperl, and Don Tapping The New Healthcare Pocket Guide XL is a collection of input from healthcare professionals and Lean Sensei. It provides easy-to-use and easy-to-understand tools, methods, and concepts based on the world-class Toyota Motor Company (i.e., Lean). The New Lean Healthcare Pocket Guide XL in this larger format is design for use as a quick and easy reference as you learn and implement Lean tools. The tools of 5S, continuous flow, cycle time, document tagging, error proofing, goals and outcomes, Just-In-Time, takt time, standard work, pitch, plus all the other Lean tools are thoroughly explained. This "newer" version includes additional case studies, actual photos, an index, as well as compliments the Value Stream Management for Lean Healthcare book. This book will assist any healthcare facility in the enabling them into a Lean environment where the focus is on both driving strategic change and meeting operational goals.
  • First of its kind! The Simply Lean Pocket Guide is the integration of Lean and the PDCA methodology. The interactive Tinker Town case study allows you to take problem solving with a Lean twist to your next performance level. The most basic premise of Lean is to simply and effectively problem solve.   The Simply Lean Pocket Guide is a step-by-step approach to the implementation of process improvements using the PDCA model along with a Lean twist.  If you are just beginning to adopt Lean or Six Sigma as a business improvement model, whether you are in the healthcare, financial services, construction, armed services, manufacturing, government, logistics, service, or construction industry, the first thing that should be acknowledged is that the solution to the problem (or improvement target that is to be reached) will be found in the intellect of the people who are working the process.  Therefore, as a trainer, consultant (internal or external), or departmental head, the focus to improve a situation would be to “somehow” work with that group (and their intellect) and find a solution.  However, that “somehow” is not always easy to attain and will require some guidance along the way.  Simply Lean will provide that guidance ensuring root causes and wastes are eliminated in creating a Leaner, problem-free process.
  • By: Todd Sperl, Rob Ptacek, Jayant Trewn (PhD)The A3 Pocket Handbook for Kaizen Events allows team members to be literally and figuratively on the same page when participating in an improvement event.  This allows more ownership, while at the same time preserving organizational knowledge.  The improvement methodology used (i.e., Six Sigma D-M-A-I-C, PDCA, etc.) will relate to the A3 Report that is conveyed in this publication.  (The A3 Report is designed to help you “tell the story” in a logical and visual way and act as a road map for continuous improvement and problem solving initiatives.) The purpose of this pocket handbook is to:
    1. Ensure all team members have a quick reference for Lean Six Sigma definitions.
    2. Compliment, as a mini-workbook, the Practical Lean Six Sigma for Healthcare and The Lean Six Sigma Pocket Guide XL books as well as any other training materials used in an improvement event.
    3. Provide a road map for continuous improvement projects if no other methodology (i.e., PDCA, D-M-A-I-C, etc.) is used.
    4. Provide Lean Thinking Statement assessments at the end of each section for employees to “think” Lean and continue their engagement.
    5. Be a repository of thoughts, ideas, and any action items that may be assigned, etc.
    6. To retain organizational knowledge by being a personal detailed log of the Kaizen Event to be shared and/or referenced later.
  • By: Todd Sperl, Rob Ptacek, Jayant Trewn (PhD)
    NOTE:  This book in on backorder.  Orders placed today will ship Monday, September 4th, 2023.  We will upgrade the shipping at no additional cost. This book bridges the gap between a highly quantitative analysis of a process that requires extensive training (i.e., Six Sigma certification) and a more simplified approach that can be used and understood by the masses (i.e., Lean thinking). The goal of this book is to make the methods and tools of Lean and Six Sigma accessible to more people and provide a common sense or “practical” approach to problem solving and continuous improvement.  This book is intended to be used by Sigma Belt Levels, Lean Senseis (i.e., teachers), Continuous Improvement Specialists, front-line managers, and supervisors of departments and work groups, and improvement team members in their efforts to improve the patient care experience while reducing waste and variation in all types of healthcare processes. The Lean Six Sigma tools and concepts are presented relative to the A3 road map to provide a definitive how-to guide to problem solving and continuous improvement (Kaizen) initiatives.
  • The Lean Pocket Handbook for Kaizen Events is your personal (i.e., individual) Lean planner for the 21st century. We have found individuals that use this pocket handbook feel more part of the Kaizen team. They also continue to contribute improvement ideas well past the formal team Kaizen Event. That is what Lean is all about - making those small, incremental, improvements daily (i.e., hour-by-hour and minute-by-minute) by those closest to the process.
    This handbook is designed to be:
    1. A quick-reference guide.  Lean tools are explained in more detail in other manuals or by your facilitator during the instruction portion of the workshop.
    2. Your individual (i.e., personal) log. When working outside the formal training class, notes and ideas about the area or process that are being analyzed can be easily written down in this handbook (serving as your personal log) so as not to lose valuable process information.
    3. Your personal Kaizen planner. Kaizen Events will require that individual tasks be assigned to team members to be completed prior to the next meeting.  Many of these tasks will need to be scheduled within the individual’s current work day. This handbook will thus serve as your “planner” to assure these tasks are adequately planned and completed on time.
    4. A tool to self-initiate Idea Kaizens.  An Idea Kaizen is an individual that implements an improvement with little or no assistance or resource required.  This is similar to a Suggestion Program submission; however, the individual with the Idea Kaizen would be responsible for immediate implementation of the idea.
    5. A learning tool.  Each tool will have illustrations to graphically represent the essence of each tool. This will allow you to better understand and learn about each tool prior to using them in your Kaizen Event.
  • By: Rob Ptacek and Jaideep Motwani (Ph.D.)
    Today’s Lean! Learning About and Identifying Waste is the first book from the Today’s Lean! series published by MCS Media, Inc.  It has been suggested by you, our readers, that you would like Lean and Six Sigma information to be more succinct and at your fingertips, thus allowing for a single tool or concept to be easily accessible (i.e., as a pocket guide and not a manual).  Therefore, the Today’s Lean! series of books provide:
    1. Concise content on one main Lean or Six Sigma tool or concept
    2. Numerous case studies, worksheets, and examples from all types of industries
    3. Availability as a pocket guide or ebook
    4. A standard format
    5. An avenue to update content immediately via your feedback and input (via ebook updates)
    6. An inspiration for you to implement something similar
  • Sale!

    Today’s Lean! Using 5S to Organize Areas and Files – eBook

    Original price was: $7.95.Current price is: $2.95.
    By: Rob Ptacek and Jaideep Motwani (Ph.D.)
    Note:  Currently out of stock for hard copy.   We Print-On-Demand for this title of quantities of 50 or more.  Please call 734-475-4301 to place your order.

    Your eBook will be provided as a downloadable file.

    The downloadable PDF book provided is to be distributed to the quantity purchased. Unauthorized copying or sharing is not permitted. Please email info@theleanstore.com or call 734-475-4301 if you have any questions on the ebook(s) purchase.  EG.,  purchasing 5 copies of a book will allow you to distribute the PDF to 5 users.
    Today’s Lean! Using 5S to Organize and Standardize Areas and Files is another book from the Today’s Lean! series published by MCS Media, Inc.  It has been suggested by you, our readers, that you would like Lean and Six Sigma information to be more succinct and at your fingertips, thus allowing for a single tool or concept to be easily accessible (i.e., as a pocket guide and not a manual).  Therefore, the Today’s Lean! series of books provide:
    1. Concise content on a one main Lean or Six Sigma tool or concept
    2. Numerous case studies, worksheets, and examples from all types of industries
    3. Availability as a pocket guide or ebook
    4. A standard format
    5. An avenue to update content immediately via your feedback and input (via ebook updates)
    6. An inspiration for you to implement something similar
  • Sale!

    The Practical Lean Six Sigma Pocket Guide for Healthcare

    Original price was: $9.95.Current price is: $8.95.
    By: Todd Sperl, Rob Ptacek, Jayant Trewn (PhD) This book bridges the gap between a highly quantitative analysis of a process that requires extensive training (i.e., Six Sigma certification) and a more simplified approach that can be used and understood by the masses (i.e., Lean thinking). The goal of this book is to make the methods and tools of Lean and Six Sigma accessible to more people and provide a common sense or “practical” approach to problem solving and continuous improvement. This book is intended to be used by Sigma Belt Levels, Lean Senseis (i.e., teachers), Continuous Improvement Specialists, front-line managers, and supervisors of departments and work groups, and improvement team members in their efforts to improve the patient care experience while reducing waste and variation in all types of healthcare processes. The Lean Six Sigma tools and concepts are presented relative to the A3 Report to provide a definitive how-to guide to problem solving and continuous improvement (Kaizen) initiatives.
  • First of its kind! The Simply Lean Pocket Guide is the integration of Lean and the PDCA methodology. The interactive Tinker Town case study allows you to take problem solving with a Lean twist to your next performance level. The most basic premise of Lean is to simply and effectively problem solve.   The Simply Lean Pocket Guide is a step-by-step approach to the implementation of process improvements using the PDCA model along with a Lean twist.  If you are just beginning to adopt Lean or Six Sigma as a business improvement model, whether you are in the healthcare, financial services, construction, armed services, manufacturing, government, logistics, service, or construction industry, the first thing that should be acknowledged is that the solution to the problem (or improvement target that is to be reached) will be found in the intellect of the people who are working the process.  Therefore, as a trainer, consultant (internal or external), or departmental head, the focus to improve a situation would be to “somehow” work with that group (and their intellect) and find a solution.  However, that “somehow” is not always easy to attain and will require some guidance along the way.
  • Sale!

    Value Stream Management for Lean Healthcare

    Original price was: $35.00.Current price is: $18.50.
    By: Don Tapping, Sue Kozlowski, Laura Archbold, and Todd SperlValue Stream Management (VSM) is a proven and effective step-by-step methodology for understanding and applying the principles and practices of the Toyota Production System (i.e., Lean) within a healthcare organization. As authors, we have found continued success in applying the Value Stream Management methodology in the hospitals, clinics, and labs. You will be introduced to many of these successes throughout the book as topical anecdotes. The specific tools and practices of Lean and the implementation plan via the Value Stream Management process will be thoroughly explained.

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