Winner of a 2009 Shingo Research and Professional Publication Prize, this book has received universal acclaim from industry insiders as well as reform advocates. Drawing on his years of working with hospitals, Graban explains why and how lean can be used to improve safety, quality, and efficiency in a healthcare setting. After highlighting the benefits of lean for patients, employees, physicians, and the hospital itself, he explains how lean manufacturing staples such as value stream mapping and process observation can help hospital personnel identify and eliminate waste in their processes, effectively preventing delays for patients, reducing wasted motion for caregivers, and improving quality of care.