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06/14/2012 10:19 AM
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Hi all,
I am working on my Bachelor's degree and have about 2 years of hands on experience working in manufacturing with lean concepts and implementation. I'm thinking about taking a new step and transitioning to lean in healthcare. I would like to get some input from the professionals in this industry as to how hard this transition might be and if there are any good resources that might help with such a transition. Thank you all for you words of wisdom!
Brian
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06/15/2012 12:11 PM
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Brian,
Having partially made that same transition myself, let me offer you my thoughts. First, from a Lean practitioner standpoint, the transition is relatively straight forward. Although the processes and specific wastes are different, processes are processes and waste is waste. The tools and techniques used are exactly the same.
On the other hand, the medical community feels that they are very different and need specialized assistance that can only come from healthcare professionals. They tend to frown on manufacturing experience because "it's different." (It's not.)
So your biggest barrier will be convincing folks you actually know what you're doing in their living room. If you were any good at all in manufacturing, you'll do just fine in healthcare. And the opportunities are truly staggering.
Tom
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06/15/2012 12:11 PM
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Hello Brian.
For anyone considering a career in healthcare with this background, I would suggest you look into the Society for Health Systems because they are shifting focus towards people newer to healthcare. They also work closely with Institute of Industrial Engineering.
My opinion: the transition is difficult because having healthcare experience is always a top priority (primarily because healthcare is the most complex industry in the world), so you have to be very persistent and consider volunteering time at hospitals or healthcare companies. In addition, networking is always beneficial.
Hope that's helpful.
Kevin
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06/18/2012 12:14 PM
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Brian,
I made the transition to healthcare for two years and then came back to manufacturing. I agree with Thomas that processes are processes and waste is waste. The same tools you learned and applied in manufacturing will apply with just as great a success in this environment.
Be prepared however (as previously mentioned) to spend a much longer time building your credibility. I cannot count the number of times I was introduced, followed by the comment, "She's from industry." It was never a compliment.
Sharon
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06/19/2012 10:32 AM
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Tom,
Thanks for the advice! I will definitely consider the fact that although the lean side of things is the same I will need to sell my customer on my abilities to be affective in their environment. I'm very excited for both the challenge of entering the healthcare industry and the opportunities it will present for me.
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06/19/2012 10:32 AM
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Thanks Kevin.
I will take some time to look into the Society for Health Systems. I will also look into the possibility of doing some kind of volunteer work to get my feet wet in healthcare. I'm excited about the positive impact my skills will bring to an industry that is based on improving people's lives!
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06/19/2012 10:32 AM
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Sharon,
Thanks for the input. I find the need to build ones credibility to be a trend with anything lean in one way or another ( people don't like change and it seems you have to prove to every person you encounter that what your stating is right and will work.), but can see how in this case it will be particularly difficult. I will take this into consideration as I attempt to make this change over and work to shift the focus off the fact that I come "from industry" and put in on the things I have accomplished that can apply to both industries. Why did you decide to change back to "industry" if you don't mind me asking.
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06/19/2012 02:12 PM
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Brian,
All of the responders here have excellent advice. I second all of them.
The only thing I would add, having made the move from manufacturing to healthcare six years ago now, is that in my experience, the processes in healthcare are more reliant on human behavior than they are on mechanization - it's less physical - so having a good understanding the people side of lean, group behavior, individuals, etc. is magnified. Not necessarily more important in healthcare - just magnified. I've known some lean coaches who tried to make the move from manufacturing to healthcare but were frustrated by peoples' inability to understand, their own lack of patience, etc. Some have even said to me, "People aren't as easy as machines." But, if you have solid interpersonal skills and can manage teams in manufacturing, chances are very good that you could make the move to healthcare, too. Just be prepared for a really big change in work environment. Much more civil, caring, people-focused environment, in my experience, but every bit as resistant to change as anywhere you might work.
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06/20/2012 12:55 PM
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I had received a very attractive offer from a former employer that resulted in reducing my commute time by 3 hours a day, so it was really no reflection on healthcare. The biggest differences were those mentioned by Mark, the focus on people, feelings and communication, communication, communication. No one in "industry" has ever stood up crying in the middle of a kaizen event and told me that I was mean for asking them to change because change was too hard.
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06/20/2012 12:55 PM
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Brian,
Here's another bit of advice I might offer based on my experience both in manufacturing and in healthcare. If you read the book "The Machine That Changed the World", you'll get to see how manufacturing changed through the ages. Basically, the world went from Craft Production to Mass Production to Lean Production. The book traces the manufacturing of cars through all three stages and is an excellent read.
The reason I bring this up is that in my experience, it's pretty tough to move somebody from Mass to Lean Production. But, that's been my job for many years. More interestingly, I've found that it's all but impossible to move somebody from Craft to Lean Production. It's just too big of a leap.
Why do I mention this? Because healthcare is pretty well entrenched in Craft Production with maybe a few areas dabbling in Mass Production. I've even gotten teams I've worked with - over time - to admit this. Scary, but true - and something you want to keep in the back of your mind.
Tom
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06/25/2012 12:36 PM
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I'm also a big fan of the Society of Health Systems. They are actually a part of the Institute of Industrial Engineers. If you join IIE, you can also join SHS.
SHS has an outstanding conference each February... be sure to check it out.
Mark Graban
Author, "Lean Hospitals" and "Healthcare Kaizen"
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09/04/2012 10:54 AM
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I'm very interested in this thread as I also work in manufacturing but have been asked to do a one day workshop to present 'Lean' to a small charity focusing on the sexual health of young people.
I would normally use a production simulation (paper airplanes, lego etc.) and develop Lean concepts around this. Would be interested on your thoughts on how you would spark an interest in Lean with a group of health professionals.
Steve
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09/04/2012 11:00 AM
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I've found that exercises like envelope stuffing, etc. can actually work well in healthcare and non-profit settings. The UK's NHS uses a paper airplane simulation after an emergency department simulation was tried and deemed as "unrealistic."
I think you can do a simulation, but please please please go overboard in emphasizing to healthcare professionals that Lean is about creating a more caring environment, allowing to to provide better care and services. It won't fly if Lean is viewed as mechanical or robotic or just about efficiency.
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09/05/2012 09:54 AM
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I have also used very simple computer simulations to demonstrate Lean concepts in healthcare which seem to work quite well as they can demonstrate queues and downtime so graphically and allow experimentation with future states. Picking up on the caring environment point from Mark Graban, I like the NHS Productive Series which talks about "releasing time to care".
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09/06/2012 12:12 PM
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Claire
Thanks for your comments.
Where might I be able to purchase one of these simulations?
Steve
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09/06/2012 12:14 PM
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Steve,
There are several threads on the forums about simulations and many have links on where to buy them. For example, check out this thread.
Jane
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09/07/2012 10:48 AM
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Hi Brian
It may surprise people, but manufacturing simulation games and there are many of them designed by my company and a great many others out there (just type it into any search engine) will work in any environment, but the trick is not so much the simulation, but how the trainer can relate a simulation game not only to manufacturing, but to other processes like an office, food service, and even everyday home life. The true strength of Lean tools and for that matter any business improvement system is its ability to be a life skill not just a business tool. If you can get people to see how it in fact is a basic life skill it becomes easier for them to see that it can then be applied to their field of work too.
Robert Drescher
ELSE Inc.
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