Continuous Improvement Strategies

According to Transforming Health Care Scheduling and Access, long waits for treatment are a function of the disjointed manner in which most health systems have evolved to accommodate the needs and the desires of doctors and administrators, rather than those of patients. The result is a health care system that deploys its most valuable resource--highly trained personnel--inefficiently, leading to an unnecessary imbalance between the demand for appointments and the supply of open appointments. This study makes the case that by using the techniques of systems engineering, new approaches to management, and increased patient and family involvement, the current health care system can move forward to one with greater focus on the preferences of patients to provide convenient, efficient, and excellent health care without the need for costly investment. Transforming Health Care Scheduling and Access identifies best practices for making significant improvements in access and system-level change. This report makes recommendations for principles and practices to improve access by promoting efficient scheduling. This study will be a valuable resource for practitioners to progress toward a more patient-focused "How can we help you today?" culture.

This book enables enterprise business leaders - from CEOs to supervisors - to understand what "Continuous Improvement" is, why it is probably the best answer to improved business performance in years, and how to put it to work in the unique environment of a specific organization. The book examines what is at the core of "Continuous Improvement" and delves deeper into the elements and constituents necessary to take an organization to the next level to ensure its continued, long-term existence. It provides guidance to enterprise management and to professionals engaged in the implementation of a "Continuous Improvement" initiative and enables them to structure and manage its implementation successfully. It also provides tools to quickly assess where an enterprise business stands in terms of strategic management and "Continuous Improvement".​

During this era of continuous improvement, healthcare organizations need to be staffed by engaged, motivated, and hard-working frontline employees. As these clinical and non-clinical personnel handle most of the important tasks in any organization and are often the people who directly interact with patients and customers, it's the job of managers to oversee and motivate their staff members. Using Lean management strategies, this easy-to-read book for leaders and managers provides useful, insightful, and innovative information to help managers engage, motivate, and retain their employees during any Lean or other continuous improvement initiative.

Proven methods for achieving continuous process improvement Resolve "quality chaos" by creating a link between quality problems and their optimal solutions. With a focus on building an integrated quality environment, Strategic Continuous Process Improvement: Which Quality Tools to Use and When to Use Them begins by discussing the different types of continuous process improvement (CPI) systems available. This practical guide explains how to implement a strategic performance model and select and integrate appropriate metrics to achieve desired results. Tested techniques for executing an improvement process are included along with real-world examples. The book concludes with a plan to help you sustain an ongoing culture of continuous quality improvement in your organization. Find out how to: Identify CPI opportunities Evaluate various CPI options using comparative benchmarks Understand the characteristics of each quality option Map CPI characteristics against quality problems Select the appropriate tool to fit a specific quality problem Recognize the role of governance and performance reviews Cascade and communicate CPI throughout your organization Move the needle toward successful process optimization

Kaizen means gradual, unending improvement, doing "little things" better; setting --and achieving --ever higher standards. It is Kaizen, says Masaaki Imai, that is the simple truth behind Japan's economic "miracle" and the real reason the Japanese have become the masters of "flexible manufacturing" technology -- the ability to adapt manufacturing processes to changing customer and market requirements, and do it fast ... For the first time, Western managers have a comprehensive handbook of 16 Kaizen management practices they can put to work. Using more than 100 examples of Kaizen in action, 15 corporate case studies, and 50 charts and graphs, Mr. Imai examines step by step all the roles Kaizen plays in. --inside cover

This book discusses continuous improvement strategies of Japanese convenience store operators. The study highlights the efforts of companies operating under lean management systems to identify new, dynamic, firm-specific capabilities in highly competitive markets.

Featuring case studies from the industrial and tourism sectors, this book provides an interdisciplinary perspective on the effect of total quality management on business and innovation strategies. The principles of Total Quality Management (TQM) have been widely researched and analyzed as an essential tool for businesses to compete in a globalized economy. This book presents the latest research on the applications of TQM across different functions such as customer service, human resources management and cost control. It demonstrates how the utilization of TQM tools, such as the SERVQUAL model, Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), High Involvement Practices (HIWP) and the EFQM excellence model, impacts a firm’s performance, enhances productivity and innovation and reduces cost, thereby allowing them to compete more effectively in the global market. Building on the extensive literature on the relationship between TQM and business performance, the authors argue that quality acts as a powerful competitive tool that companies should embrace in their corporate strategy. By promoting activities that result in greater efficiency, improved control and management of the organization (internal quality), firms can achieve significant improvement in customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, social impact and business results (external quality) and exceed expectations in these areas.

This book covers the strategic use of continuous improvement (CI) techniques for manufacturing performance improvement. It focuses primarily on strategies that can be adopted by small and middle-sized enterprises in manufacturing in order to meet the global challenges and competition. The book begins with an introduction to CI (or Kaizen), explaining different CI approaches and strategies. Chapter 2 offers a literature review of CI, examining conceptual frameworks, case studies, and surveys. Next, the book deals with the design of the study, detailing the work done in each phase along with the tools, techniques and models. Chapter 4 presents a detailed survey to determine the present status of continuous improvement strategies in the Indian manufacturing industry, to assess the important barriers that effect the implementation of CI strategies, and to also assess the role of key enablers leading to improve the performance of manufacturing operations. Chapter 5 is comprised of detailed case studies to further analyze the application of the discussed CI strategies. The purpose of Chapter 6 is to develop the relationship among the different identified most important barriers in implementing CI approach using interpretive structural modeling (ISM) and classify these barriers depending upon their driving and dependence power. Finally Chapter 7 provides conclusions, addresses potential limitations, and also looks to the future.