Toyota-style Management Drives Virginia Mason

David Ollier Weber, The Physician Executive, January-February 2006

Take an in-depth look at how the Toyota Production System is enhancing healthcare at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle.

More than any other healthcare system, Virginia Mason was an early adopter of Japanese style management techniques such as Jidoka and “Just-in-time” (JIT). They embraced Toyota principles such as Standardized work, Takt time, 5S, Heijunka and Kanban/Andon and applied them to a healthcare setting. The results were astounding.

• In search of ‘perfection’
• Five principles of success
• Taking flight
• ‘The patient is God’
• Mastering tasks