Lean Hospitals Reviews: What Experts and Readers Say

“Mark Graban’s book has documented what is now happening in hospitals all across America as we learn to apply the Toyota Production System methodology to healthcare. This book lays out the nuts and bolts of the lean methodology and also describes the more difficult challenges, which have to do with managing change. Graban’s book is full of wins — these are the same type of wins that are happening at Thedacare every day. I wish I could have read this six years ago, as it might have prevented some of the mistakes we made in our lean transformation journey.”

John S. Toussaint, MD, Founder / Chairman, Catalysis

“Mark Graban is the consummate translator of the vernacular of the Toyota Production System into the everyday parlance of health care. With each concept and its application, the reader is challenged to consider what is truly possible in the delivery of health care if only standardized systems, borrowed from reliable industries, were implemented. Graban provides those trade secrets in an understandable and transparent fashion.”

Richard Shannon, MD, Executive Vice President for Health Affairs, University of Virginia

“Many healthcare consultants have rebadged themselves as lean consultants and do not understand the real thinking behind the Toyota Production System. Mark Graban is an exception. He has worked hard to study the philosophy and stay true to the thinking of Toyota. His book is a welcome translation of the Toyota Production System into language any health care professional can understand.”

Jeff Liker, Author, The Toyota Way book series

“Leaders of today’s healthcare organizations are on a continuous journey to improve results, requiring a relentless focus on improving the underlying process of care delivery and leadership practices.  Mark has written a book that provides compelling ideas to help create better places to work, practice medicine and receive safe, high-quality care.”

Quint Studer, Founder, Studer Group

“The medical community has a tremendous opportunity to learn methods and techniques to improve the quality and efficiency of care and reduce costs, while at the same time engaging the staff in these efforts. Mark Graban has deep experience applying lean in the healthcare field, and in his book provides an outline of how to transfer concepts originally developed in manufacturing into the unique environment of medical care. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn and apply some great ideas in your organization.”

David Meier, Co-author of “The Toyota Way Fieldbook” and “Toyota Talent”

“The concepts outlined in this book are the most powerful tools that I have ever encountered to foster innovation, ownership, and accountability at the front-line staff level. This is a must-read for any leader in today’s increasingly complex healthcare industry.”

Brett Lee, Ph.D., FACHE, CEO, Lake Pointe Health Network

“Mark Graban provides a helpful translation of the terms, practices, and tools of lean thinking into hospitals’ everyday situations and challenges. His book illustrates Lean’s elements with many actual examples of Lean applications in typical hospital practices and procedures. Graban’s book should definitely be on the reading list for those who want to bring the benefits of lean thinking to healthcare.”

David Mann, Author, “Creating a Lean Culture”

“Lean Hospitals is an effective resource for engaging everyone from the front-line staff to executives in studying how to operationalize the Lean process in the healthcare setting. Lean Hospitals is an excellent resource for new learners, equipping them with problem-solving skills and enabling them to stay true to the Lean philosophy. Unlike Lean training materials developed for a class or seminar, the content in Lean Hospitals is presented in the context of its application, surrounded by examples and case studies that facilitate learning and application in the learner’s own setting. Lean Hospitals has been adopted as the text of choice at Sharp HealthCare to teach our executive and work teams about the Lean process.”

Kurt Hanff, Sharp Healthcare

“Mark Graban has been tirelessly studying the application of LEAN to health care, with an emphasis on respect for the people served by the system as well as the people who provide excellent care. He has an accurate sense of how things work in health systems, which makes his work more meaningful for people who want to make them better.”

Ted Eytan, MD

“The Lean approach to healthcare, including a strong emphasis on culture, is the best way to ensure the optimal patient experience. The multiple examples of Lean applications in this book provide a wealth of information for a hospital venturing into Lean principles for the first time.  In addition, this book emphasizes not only methodology but also the cultural changes that must occur for sustainability – something often forgotten in change management.”

Beverly B. Rogers, MD, Chief of Pathology, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

“There is an enormous shortfall between the healthcare we could receive and what we actually get. Mark Graban explains how those in the system can make care delivery better for everyone — patients, providers, and payers.”

Steven J. Spear, DBA, Senior Lecturer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT Sloan School of Management

“Finally! The healthcare industry has needed this book for many years. Informative, understandable, and timely, Mark’s book will leave you with an appreciation for what Lean is and what it can do for your hospital. After you read this book, I’ll be surprised if you don’t make implementing Lean your highest strategic priority.”

Jim Adams, Senior Director, Laboratory Operations, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

“It is obvious that Mark has spent time in the trenches of healthcare and understands the complexities of applying the Lean philosophy and tools to that environment. If you want to improve your chances of surviving in today’s healthcare system (both literally and figuratively), read this book.”

Dean Bliss, Gemba Coach, Simpler Consulting