Blue Belt Program Review

Blue Belt Program Overview

www.akronchildrens.org/givingMark A. Watson Center for Operations ExcellenceProcess Improvement Through People Development

Why Blue Belt?

Breakthrough Initiatives 20%

Continuous Daily Im-provement

80%

A3 Program ProjectsGreen and Black Belt ProjectsKaizen Events

Blue Belt Program


From Own the Gap by Mike Martyn and Bryan Crowell

Strategy Deployment

Create clear and aligned expectations of what winning means at all levels.

Creates the gap

ANSWERS THE QUESTION: What does it mean to Win or Lose? What does winning look like?


Visual Management

Create a system of visual management that allows everyone, every day to know whether they are winning or losing.

Shows the gap

ANSWERS THE QUESTION: Are we winning or losing?



Daily process improvement

Develop an enterprise-wide habit of daily team-based problem solving – aligned with the organization’s goals.


Closes the gap

ANSWERS THE QUESTION: If we are not winning – what are we doing about it?


Standard Follow-up

Standard set of reaction protocols and follow-up activities that allow leaders to coach for improvement.


Sustains and builds on the gains.

ANSWERS THE QUESTION: How can I help you win more?


Strategy Deployment

Create clear and aligned expectations of what winning means at all levels.

Creates the gap

ANSWERS THE QUESTION: What does it mean to Win or Lose? What does winning look like?

Visual Management

Create a system of visual management that allows everyone, every day to know whether they are winning or losing.

Shows the gap

ANSWERS THE QUESTION: Are we winning or losing?

Standard Follow-up

Standard set of reaction protocols and follow-up activities that allow leaders to coach for improvement.

Sustains and builds on the gains.

ANSWERS THE QUESTION: How can I help you win more?

Daily Kaizen (Daily process improvement)

Develop an enterprise-wide habit of daily team-based problem solving – aligned with the organization’s goals.

Closes the gap

ANSWERS THE QUESTION: If we are not winning – what are we doing about it?



BLUE BELT----CHANGING THE WAY THAT DEPARTMENTS FUNCTION

• RESPECT FOR PEOPLE is key tenet

• Transparency – Being able to discuss quality and other issues openly and honestly with taking the appropriate actions with staff.

• Accountability – Ensuring that both leaders and staff are accountable for creating better patient flow, improving patient satisfaction, and fixing problems.

Team based, daily

improvement culture

toward meaningful

outcomes.


PRINCIPLES, SYSTEMS AND TOOLS


PRINCIPLESCore Values, Guiding Principles and Organizational Focus are essential for developing high functioning organizations • Organization and Department Mission, Vision and

Values “Know Why”• Key Behaviors• Organizational expectations for results (for

example: customer satisfaction, patient access)• Communication• Leadership Development• Foundational culture

– Not just our job to do the work, but to improve the work

.

Look past the

tools and

understand the

principles.


SYSTEMS

Systems which are appropriately aligned to principles drive behaviors.• Strategy Deployment• Visual Management• Communication System / Daily Tiered

Huddles• Coaching System• Idea Generation / Problem Solving System• Reward and Recognition

Understand and

implement key

systems


TOOLSWithin your systems, select the right tools to achieve the results you want.• X-Matrix• Metric Boards• Huddle Board• Process Mapping• Fishbone Diagram• Ease Impact Chart• Standard Work Instructions• 5 S (Sort & Scrap, Set in Order, Shine,

Standardize, Sustain)• Visual management


HOW DOES THIS FIT TOGETHER?

• Leaders identify the vision and support the principles of the organization.

• Managers maintain standards, the develop systems to improve the work, and coach associates.

• Associates are expected to recognize problems and use appropriate tools for work improvements.


Organization Effectiveness and Transformation

• Teamwork• Communication


JUST CULTURE- HAVING THE RIGHT CULTURE FOR DAILY WORK & IMPROVEMENT WORK Just Culture Concepts

complement Lean Six Sigma and vice versa• Applicable to actions in

daily huddles• Transparency is okay• Look at the systems that

staff are in for potential causes

• Accountability• Triage for resolution

© Copyright Akron Children’s Hospital


HUGE goal of Blue Belt- Establishment and Refinement of Huddles


System of Tiered Levels and Flow of Information- a STRATEGIC GOAL of the Hospital

Tier 6

Tier 5 Tier 5 Tier 5 Tier 5 Tier 5

Tier 4 Tier 4 Tier 4 Tier 4 Tier 4 Tier 4

Tier 3 Tier 3 Tier 3 Tier 3

Tier 2 Tier 2 Tier 2

Tier 1 Tier 1 Tier 1

Women’s Board Board of DirectorsCEO

CFO COO EVP VP HR Foundation

Example

CNO VPP VPS VPO COE Compliance

StrategyGoalsPurpose• Mentoring• Teaching• Barrier

Removal• Strategy• True North

Status of the Hospital• Information• Continuous Improvement• Metrics• Escalation

17



Daily/Monthly Metrics Tracker

•Goal ranges are shown with colors

•Anything out of range is tracked at the bottom (reasons, issues, etc.)


Patient Status Board in the Burn Center


Patient Status Board in the Burn Center-

Magnet Key & Marker Color Key


Patient Status Board in the Burn Center

Patient Name Here

Each patient has a ‘room’: all pertinent info is displayed and info is potentially clarified in huddle or nurse report


Benefits of the Blue Belt Program 1. For your patients:

a) Improved understanding of the patient/family needsb) Improved safety/quality of patients through Huddlesc) Improved coordination of care

2. For your departmenta) Improved intradepartmental communicationb) Improved use of tools to improve processesc) Creating a culture of openness and transparency

culture

3. For you:a) Leadership needs your help to improve the processesb) Improved quality of work c) Communication – better info shared


Overall Goals of Blue Belt

• Align the department towards common and well understood goals

• Help with the transparency/culture• Improve abilities of participants to problem

solve• From the highest level of the organization,

the status of the hospital should be known daily by noon – Identify issues as they are happening, if

not before– Quickly resolve the issues


Questions??

Healthcare

Blue Belt Program Review