Standardization and Continuous Improvement at EAMC

Last week, Feb. 22-26, Auburn Technical Assistance Center hosted a 5-day rapid improvement event at East Alabama Medical Center. Nurses, doctors, administrators and technicians who work for the hospital gathered in a classroom to be trained at the Lean Certificate Series. At this 5-day training, they learn tools of continous improvement.

The acronym, "D.O.W.N.T.I.M.E.", is used to symbolize the eight ways hospital employees are trained. It stands for defects, overproduction, waiting, not utilizing people, transportation, inventory, motion and extra processing. The basis of the training is to standardize everything and reduce waste in the hospital.

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The Lean Certificate Series was birthed from the Toyota Process. "It came out of manufacturing, but can apply to healthcare, or anything that's a multistep process," said Mitch Emmons, ATAC senior outreach associate. The process is based on 5S: shine, sort, set in order, standardize and sustain. Employees are taught these principles in the classroom, then apply it on the hospital floor. Essentially, they are given a standard process on how to identify and minimize waste.

Terri Lawrenceand Rick Battye, ATAC employees, are instructors at the series. Laura Bell of process improvement at EAMC helps supervize the training. The 22 individuals being certified represents their team: doctors, nurses, technicians and administrators. Once certified, they teach the rest of their team the process. Meghan Gaertner is a quality management employee being certified.

"This has been a great opportunity," Gaertner said. "Everyone's been extremely engaged this week."

The training is extremely visual, according to Emmons. "The workplace talks to you to tell you if something is out of place," Emmons said. "Pictures, colors and labels are used."

Bell brought in ATAC as consultants. "Our strategic goal is for all management members to be trained this year," Bell said. "We at EAMC are at the beginning of our Lean journey and methodology for improvement, and ATAC is seen as the best tactic to help the hospital improve quality and safety for patients."