title: Applying Lean principles and Kaizen rapid improvement events in public health practice.
abstract: This case study describes a local home health and hospice agency's effort to implement Lean principles and Kaizen methodology as a rapid improvement approach to quality improvement. The agency created a cross-functional team, followed Lean Kaizen methodology, and made significant improvements in scheduling time for home health nurses that resulted in reduced operational costs, improved working conditions, and multiple organizational efficiencies.
authors.affiliation: North Carolina State University-Industrial Extension Service, Raleigh, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Gene
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Annah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poteat-Godwin
authors.forename: Lisa Macon
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Greg D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Randolph
mesh_terms: D018574:Home Care Agencies / Q000592:standards; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000592:standards; D009657:North Carolina; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D015980:Public Health Practice / Q000592:standards*; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000458:organization & administration*