Abstract for: Large System Transformation within Healthcare Organizations utilizing Lean Deployment Strategies

Multiple healthcare organizations have been recognized as successful in sustained, enterprise-wide transformation utilizing Lean deployment methods. A realist review of large system transformation utilizing enterprise-level Lean Deployment methods within healthcare organizations was conducted by Hagg, et al (2013). Synthesis and analysis of the results from this review indicate that there are five primary strategies associated with successful healthcare-based Lean deployments - Respect for People, Strategic Alignment; Strategic Deployment; Large Scale, System Improvement Efforts; and Small-Scale, Local Improvement Efforts. Additional findings from this review indicate that the applications of the specific mechanisms with these strategies are emergent within multiple transitional phases spanning 6-8 years. In order to better understand the emergent nature of enterprise-level Lean deployment strategies, a more robust understanding of these transitional phases is needed. We have created a dynamic hypothesis and system dynamics model to explore how the mechanisms and context interact to drive phase transitions within healthcare-based enterprise-level Lean deployments. Additionally, we investigate how healthcare-based, enterprise-level Lean deployment programs can be better designed in order to increase rate of success and decrease deployment cycles.