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IPE Resources
Your links to performance excellence in health care

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September 8, 2011

Performance Excellence Professional Organizations

Institute for Healthcare Improvement

Offers performance improvement training and development services to healthcare professionals. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement offers a single level of certification – Improvement Advisor.  The Improvement Advisor (IA) training includes 12 days of instruction over 12 months, and project coaching.  The program is based on Associates in Process Improvement, Model for Improvement and does not include many of the Lean Six Sigma tools and methodologies that are becoming increasingly popular in the healthcare sector.   Individuals completing the course requirements are awarded an Improvement Advisor certificate. However, healthcare organizations vary in scale, and the Improvement Advisor level is fairly limited and doesn’t develop the skills, or knowledge required to succeed as an improvement executive.

American Society for Quality (ASQ)

ASQ is a global organization serving multiple industries.  As a professional association,ASQ advances the professional development, credentials, knowledge and information services, membership community, and advocacy on behalf of its more than 85,000 members worldwide. ASQ has been the sole administrator of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Program Award since 1991.

SME/AME/Shingo Prize Lean Certification Alliance

The Alliance is composed of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) and The Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence. They are working to establish standards for Lean Certification.  ASQ joined the Alliance in 2010. The Alliance is heavily manufacturing focused, and to date, does not have a health care component.

PMI’s Project Management Professional (PMP)

This credential is the industry-recognized certification for project managers. This recognition is seen through increased marketability to employers and higher salary; according to the PMI Salary Survey — Sixth Edition, individuals with a PMP credential are compensated up to 10% more than their non-credentialed colleagues and peers.

Institute of Industrial Engineers

IIE is a professional society dedicated to the support of the industrial engineering profession and individuals involved with improving quality and productivity. Founded in 1948, IIE is an international, nonprofit association that provides leadership for the application, education, training, research, and development of industrial engineering.  They founded the Society for Health Systems, Industrial Engineers which provides Lean Six Sigma training for health care professionals.

Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME)

A professional society focused on advancing manufacturing knowledge. Through its local chapters, technical communities, publications, expositions and professional development resources, the SME promotes an increased awareness of manufacturing engineering and keeps manufacturing professionals up to date on leading trends and technologies. Headquartered in Michigan, the Society has members in more than 70 countries and represents manufacturing practitioners across all industries. However, they do not have a health care practice.

Lean / Six Sigma Organizations in Health Care

Healthcare Value Network

A partnership between the Lean Enterprise Institute (LEI) and the ThedaCare Center for Healthcare Value (TCHV) focuses on lean implementation and education. Working in partnership allows LEI and the TCHV to leverage their unique perspectives and not-for-profit missions to accomplish a shared goal of fundamentally improving healthcare delivery through lean thinking.

  • LEI was founded by James P. Womack, noted management expert and leader of the MIT research team that coined the term “lean” through their study of the Toyota Production System.
  • ThedaCare: The ThedaCare Center, led by John Toussaint, M.D., was founded out of a desire to spread the innovative work done in the ThedaCare community health system.  During Dr. Toussaint’s tenure as CEO, from 2002 to 2008, ThedaCare began an organization-wide lean transformation effort that led to dramatic improvements in patient safety, quality, cost, waiting times, and employee morale.

Healthcare Performance Partners (HPP)

A for-profit consulting firm providing training, and consulting services to health care clients.  HPP sponsors the Lean Healthcare Exchange an electronic forum for leaders in healthcare, Lean and Six Sigma to exchange ideas.

Centers for Performance Excellence

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