AI Is Transforming Lean Consulting
Healthcare systems are faced with providing superior clinical outcomes, perfecting the patient journey, improving performance metrics, reducing lost revenue, finding new revenue streams and transforming current strategies to better align with goals. Often this leads to employing lean refinement concepts through internal task teams, external consulting or management firms. Exceedingly common, in the onset of this journey is the necessary “get to know you” phase, i.e. manual data collection, additional human resources living alongside the healthcare providers in the unit and on the floor. It’s followed by lengthy evaluation periods, coaching and trials for changes to flow, etc. The results can lead to exceptional and valuable data findings that can transform the functionality and efficiencies that work to form the overall health of a hospital, correcting complex issues which demand resolution. Complex and innovative AI has solved the of the biggest time constraint issues facing lean consulting processes as we know it today, removing barriers so optimized results can be delivered faster.
Tell Me What I Don’t Know:
Data science and technology have grown remarkably and now pervade our world to the point where we take it for granted, such as asking your phone to find the nearest Emergency Department. Technology is progressing so quickly that we have reached a point where unless you search for it or someone tells you about it, you may not know that a truly transformational technology exists to solve a problem.
“Continuous change can be made into an asset if an organization sharpens its vision in order to see the future coming ahead of the change that vision heralds,” said Daryl Plummer, vice president and Gartner Fellow, Distinguished.
AI’s Complexity
AI research has produced powerful new approaches to complex logistical problems by teaching computers to “think” like the greatest problem solvers on the planet: humans. Newer approaches like machine learning, neural networks, and genetic algorithms let us
tackle bigger, more complex problems to find truly optimal solutions. Not long ago, better methods of enabling lean concepts were only in our dreams. Now, hospital systems and Lean teams of all types have access to command center technology platforms to automate what they spend the vast majority their Lean processes doing; human powered data collection/evaluation/flow modeling & simulation, process optimization, metric refinement, reporting, etc. Automation of these multi-faceted processes and virtual simulation of your customized hospital environment allows Lean teams to focus on the human-centered changes that come into play when creating a change culture within the hospital system.
Imagine being able to test “What-if” scenarios in a virtual way before impacting the lives of the people in your department with changes in staffing or patient flow or accomplish in minutes what normally takes hours to months of work with pen, paper and spreadsheets. What if you could receive an alert to a bottleneck 6 hours in advance that doubles the load on radiology, or that your ED average wait is going to triple in 3 hours? Recommendation insights produced by optimization engines show exactly what to do about it, given your current constraints, without creating another bottleneck down the line.
Ai-driven optimization algorithms provide real-time advice on how to schedule staff and other resources to avoid problems. The systems can also analyze historical patterns and offer optimization advice daily instead of periodically. Knowing when and exactly how to move resources reduces wait times and allows more patients to be served. They improve patient safety and enhance patient satisfaction.
Transformative Technology
Platforms such as Bernoulli OptimizerTM, used to transform Lean consulting are available at a fraction of the cost of what’s expected to deliver an economic impact strategy that could uncover millions of dollars in hidden or lost revenue. Imagine a consulting firm, management company or internal hospital Lean team powered by optimization technology. Actionable insights are now driven by data science, complete with interactive reports to drill down on your goals
and metrics. This is data science and command center technology in its finest hour. Lean teams can now deliver a consultative method far more efficiently, running thousands of iterations that are facility specific enabling shortened time frames for optimal process refinement. Daily flow and balance are restored more quickly. Providers and nursing staff are utilized in a manner that prevents burnout. Because the system can stay connected, hospitals and healthcare systems are afforded continual insights with recommendations for ongoing process refinement without starting over.