E117: Transforming Healthcare with Lean Six Sigma – Interview with Sarah Cook
In this episode, I interviewed Sarah Cook, a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt consultant from Pepper Foster Consulting in Portland, Oregon. She shares her journey from the VA medical center to becoming a performance engineer in healthcare. She discusses the application of Lean and Six Sigma methodologies to healthcare, the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare systems, and the critical importance of data-driven decision-making. We also discussed practical strategies for process improvement in healthcare, building trust, and mitigating risks effectively. Learn about a project she worked on reducing surgical infection rates, implementing daily tiered huddles, and the significance of psychological safety in fostering a good improvement culture. We also talked about valuable insights on monitoring data fluctuations, creating effective visual charts, and using control charts to monitor processes. This episode is a must-watch for anyone looking to drive sustainable improvements in healthcare.* 00:20 Journey into Lean and Process Improvement
* 02:16 Impact of COVID on Healthcare Processes
* 05:19 Lean vs. Six Sigma in Quality Improvement
* 07:42 Challenges and Successes in Process Improvement
* 15:39 Building Trust and Managing Change
* 21:56 Building Trust in Conversations
* 22:36 Mistakes in the Clinical Laboratory
* 23:32 Addressing Shame and Fear in Healthcare
* 26:36 Proactive Risk Mitigation
* 32:33 The Importance of Small Improvements
* 36:31 Reacting to Data Fluctuations
* 38:49 Visualizing Process Improvements
* 39:48 Conclusion and Contact InformationListen to the podcast on this page, or watch the video below, or go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya6gXyUcads
Links* Sarah Cook – LinkedIn* Email: sarah.cook@pepperfoster.com
* Pepper Foster
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