Gemba Academy: Stories about the Eight Types of Waste in Healthcare

Approximately $750B in wasted healthcare spending each year in the United States…

Breakdown of the $750B in waste

  • Institute of Medicine Report (2012): Best Care at Lower Cost: The Path to Continuously Learning Health Care in America

$2.5 trillion in U.S. healthcare spending (2009)

Malyia Jeffers story

The Eight Types of Waste:

  • Defects
  • Overproduction
  • Transportation
  • Waiting
  • Inventory
  • Motion
  • (Over)Processing
  • Human Potential

Waste Mnemonics:

  • DOTWIMP
  • TIMWOOD(S)
  • WORMPIT
  • DOWNTIME
  • UWITDMOP

Shigeo Shingo quote:

“We have to grasp not only the Know-How but also ‘Know Why,’ if we want to master the Toyota Production System.”

Dr. Donald M. Berwick on waste and value:

Henry Ford Quote:

“In the ordinary hospital the nurses must make useless steps. More of their time is spent in walking than in caring for the patient. This hospital is designed to save steps… we have tried to eliminate waste motion.”

Darrie Eason Case:

Mary McClinton Case:

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