Lean Methods and Process Improvement have rapidly become accepted management practice within a Health context. However, one of the challenges faced by Australian health services is the short supply of experienced practitioners. Whilst case material consistently demonstrates that such techniques can have an enormously positive influence, there are in fact insufficient experienced practitioners to effectively service current demand. The risk therefore is that Lean practices and process improvement generally will develop a poor reputation because of lower quality implementations.

The Bevington Group is firmly of the view that the only way to respond to the shortfall is by equipping health care professionals with the knowledge and tools to further reduce waste, therefore it is a matter of building internal capability. Indeed this has been the basis of the Bevington Group’s strategic assistance to DHS Victoria (on the Victorian Hospital Redesign program).

As Australia’s largest specialist productivity services provider, and arguably the most experienced, the Bevington Group has responded to the experience shortfall through:

• Rapid, high quality, project based knowledge transfer;
• The Bevington Partnering program (a long term partnership with the Bevington Group for the explicit purpose of knowledge transfer); and
• Consulting services for larger projects.

The approach taken by Bevington is highly pragmatic. There is no “religious” devotion to any one toolset (e.g. Lean, Six Sigma, Ward Productivity Toolkit, or Process Reegineering), and Bevington trains advanced practitioners to select the right tools for the assignment in hand (see the recent ACHSE presentation for further information). Furthermore, Bevington Group personnel understand the particular challenges found in Health Services faced with complex processes, a demanding stakeholder environment, and constantly growing service demands.

Bevington is not a specialist in any one industry, so it does not claim to be a health specialist. Rather its strength lies in its abilities to derive lessons from multiple contexts and cross pollinate. Nonetheless, Bevington has worked with a very diverse and growing group of medical and allied institutions, including:

• Royal Children’s Hospital;
• Process improvement pilots at multiple Victorian Health Services
  • Southern,
  • Western,
  • and Bayside;
• Freemason's Hospital;
• Mitcham Private;
• Dental Health Services Victoria; and
• Strategic program support for DHS.

Furthermore, there are emerging relationships as broad as Bendigo Health Service or Health Purchasing Victoria.

Should you require any further information do not hesitate to call Debbie Neilsen or Roger Perry on 03 9663 5522.