Toyota production system for healthcare organisations: prospects and implementation challenges

Abstract

The objective of this study is to document the implementation of the Toyota production system (TPS) in a Healthcare Organisation – Heartland Regional Medical Center – undertaken to meet accreditation standards and customer service goals. We record the challenges experienced and elaborate the effectiveness of knowledge-management (KM) procedures during TPS implementation. The study addresses an organisation-wide preparation for implementing TPS and the accreditation standards of the National Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Our observations are centred on the Quality Management Council which has been involved in carrying out improvements in patient care, service, and hospital administration. The study documents the effectiveness of KM approaches such as cross-functional coordination and subject-matter experts in the implementation of TPS. This is a single site case study, and the challenges observed and remedies pursued while implementing TPS may be specific to the site or unique to the healthcare industry, and may not be appropriate in other organisational contexts. The study highlights key strategies and tenets that managers can pursue for effective integration of TPS in a Healthcare setting. Our study implies the importance of the creation of missions and goals that effectively bond the top management and employees to quality and safety goals. The use of subject-matter experts, employee committees, cross-functional teams, and process champions documented will provide the template for TPS implementation.