Understanding and Application of Deming’s System of Profound Knowledge in Healthcare

Abstract:

It is uncommon to find a healthcare organization’s management that will state that they are following Dr. W. Edwards Deming’s management philosophy. It is more common to find organizations that are pursuing the application of what is being called “lean”. Starting in 1950, Dr. Deming brought new knowledge to Japanese managers and engineers, many of who then used this knowledge to design their management systems. In 1988, The Shingo Model for Operational Excellence was created based on the study of results and behaviors of companies demonstrating superior performance, as well as the principles of thought-leaders like Dr. Deming who helped shape the thinking behind their management systems. In the early 2000’s, healthcare organizations (including ThedaCare) began looking to Toyota and other companies for methods to improve quality while also decreasing cost. The ThedaCare Center for Healthcare Value, created in 2008, and the Healthcare Value Network (HVN) created the following year, selected the Shingo model as a way to provide guidance and to help the member organizations assess their progress on the lean journey. This paper discusses the HVN’s Shingo-based assessment process (which has Deming-based principles) and provides examples of application from some of the HVN member organizations.

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