Want to minimize waste and maximize value? RelateCare gets Lean.

Want to minimize waste and maximize value? RelateCare gets Lean.

RelateCare is delighted to congratulate the first group of graduates (pictured above) from the RelateCare Lean Transformation Training Program. Over the coming months, all RelateCare staff will complete the training program to receive a Lean Yellow Belt. This commitment to train all staff in Lean thinking, and not just a select few, displays RelateCare’s deep commitment to creating an inclusive culture of client-focused continuous improvement, where everyone has the tools and skills to critically analyse problems, identify and eliminate waste, and ultimately, increase the value we provide to our healthcare clients across the world.

Our course leader, Ian Gourlay holds a Masters Degree (MBS Hons.) in Lean Practice and Lean Black Belt states that “many organizations now consider the effective adoption of Lean thinking, tools and techniques as critical to their strategic effectiveness and to their overall operational and enterprise excellence.”

Lean thinking has its roots in the world of manufacturing, but in a world of ever-increasing competitiveness, more and more services organizations are seeing the benefits of this kind of thinking in creating a culture of efficiency and value. According to the Lean Enterprise Institute, the core idea behind Lean “is to maximize customer value while minimizing waste. Simply put, Lean focuses on creating more value for customers by providing them with the best possible service at the best possible quality levels.

Bringing this kind of focus to an organization means equipping staff with the tools and skills necessary to identify opportunities for improvement. However, it is not just about skills and tools: the most fundamental aspect of becoming a truly Lean organization is encouraging a mindset and culture shift where staff are engaged and focused on seeking these opportunities.

For our Lean Training program, this involved interactive workshops on:

  • Creating a Lean mindset, Lean thinking, Lean principles
  • Identifying waste
  • Process mapping: making processes visible
  • Optimizing processes
  • Identifying value-add and non-value-add
  • Structured problem solving
  • Root cause analysis
  • Critical thinking

By giving people the tools and skills to identify opportunities both internally and in how we partner with clients, RelateCare is aiming to create a culture of critical thinking and collaboration, where the focus at all levels is on continuous improvement and asking: “how can we do things better?”

According to Ian, “RelateCare’s investment in the personal and professional development of its people is a testament to its alignment to the philosophical underpinnings of Lean, and its successful adoption of the leading thinking and best practices in Lean.”

 

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To find out how RelateCare can implement Lean Philosophies, Culture and  Principles into your HealthCare Organization.

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