‘Lean’ hospitals mean improved efficiencies
The Dec. 27 Tribune Chronicle ran an AP article by Julie Carr Smyth that reported some encouraging information. The headline was, ‘’States seek efficiency using Japanese way.’’ It was a report of various states’ successes in reducing waste and improving the efficiencies of some of their services by using kaizen events, part of what is commonly called the Toyota System. It is also referred to as the Lean Production. Basically, this system employs methods of continuously challenging what’s being done, with the purpose of eliminating waste and improving quality and the flow of work and reducing costs. Many American manufacturing companies have been using this system for years now. I’ve long felt that Lean methods could improve health services and, in the process, the cost of health care. It’s widely accepted that the cost of health care is considered a national crisis and has been for decades. To date, the efforts to address this have mostly been well off the mark.
» Full StorySolutions or resolutions?
Language experts will have to determine the relationship between “resolutions’’ and “solutions.’’ I simply realize it is that time of year for declaring the former with hopes of transforming them into the latter.
» Full StoryHe’s got the personality of a spider
I am Spider-Man. Personalitywise, anyway.
I’ve never climbed any walls, but mom used to tell me I was driving her up one.
It’s time for resolutions
I don’t usually do the New Years’ resolutions thing. I’ve always thought that if you are going to do something to improve yourself, any day is a good time to start. I guess since New Year’s is right around the corner, I’ll throw in my hat.
» Full StoryVeteran volunteer
WARREN — When something needs done in Trumbull County’s Veterans Services Office, workers go to Francis ‘‘Butch’’ Mills.
‘‘When you call on Butch, you don’t have to tell him twice.
Keep your New Year’s resolutions real to be successful
About 33 percent of all New Year’s resolutions are broken three weeks into January. The other two-thirds are shattered in the first three hours.
» Full Story



