A new book about Virginia Mason's journey to transform health care has received the 2014 Shingo Research and Professional Publication Award, becoming the second volume about the health system to earn this prize.
The new book, titled "Accelerating Health Care Transformation with Lean and Innovation: The Virginia Mason Experience," is written by innovation expert Paul Plsek. It explores how lean management principles, transparency and a commitment to continuous improvement can be integrated into an organization to help health care leaders achieve their goals.
The work also addresses the perceived conflict between lean (which involves creating standard work to eliminate non-value or wasteful activities) and innovation. Using Virginia Mason as a case study, Plsek concludes that creative thinking goes hand-in-hand with lean thinking.
The Shingo Award - which recognizes and advances new knowledge about operational excellence - was presented by The Shingo Institute during the 26th Shingo International Conference in Sandusky, Ohio this week. Plsek's 196-page book was published in 2014 by CRC Press.
"This recognition is also an honor for our team members who use lean and innovation every day to deliver the best care to our patients while creating an environment in which our teams can do their very best work," said Virginia Mason Chairman and CEO Gary S. Kaplan, MD.
This is the second book about Virginia Mason to win the Shingo Award. The first, titled "Transforming Health Care: Virginia Mason Medical Center's Pursuit of the Perfect Patient Experience" and written by Charles Kenney, received the prize in 2011.
In 2002, Virginia Mason adapted the philosophy and management principles of the Toyota Production System to elevate efficiency, quality and safety in its delivery of health care. This innovative approach, called the Virginia Mason Production System, has helped the organization to earn a global reputation as a quality leader.
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