Issue 29 (October 2010)

ALC delivers training to your workforce in a variety of formats ranging from video to on-line.  Topics include ESD, Safety, Lean, RF, Ergonomics, and general titles.  This issue focuses on Lean, and introduces a new suite of Lean courses for the Healthcare sector.

1. Two approaches to Basic Training: Can you spot wastes in either?
2. List of current courses related to Lean for Healthcare
3. New cohort for Black Belt training in November, 2010
4. Need information? Have a question? Here's how to contact us.

1. Two approaches to Basic Training: Can you spot wastes in either?

Mistakes in healthcare, shortages of trained personnel, and rising costs command everyday headlines.  At the same time, the concept of Lean solutions is creeping into news both inside and outside healthcare facilities.  You might already know both the promise and the pitfalls of Lean and your thoughts might turn to either good experiences or bad jokes. 

At ALC, we have sorted through mounds of stories and data, and have interfaced with industry professionals both inside and outside healthcare facilities to create a growing new suite designed to delivers basic training across the organization. 

When you engage on-site facilitators:

• You want to realize maximum gains in minimum time. 
• You want to realistically look at the current state “big picture”.
• You want to visualize a future state “big picture” for the organization.
• You want to determine how to creating this future.

Mostly, you want to realize as much value as possible by actually implementing the changes.

To accomplish this, you require a combination of workforce training and action-oriented on-site intervention.  How can you best accomplish this?  Which is more Lean?  Consider the following hypothetical scenarios:

A. In the first scenario, a Lean specialist offers a series of workshops.    Workshops consist of a combination of PowerPoint presentations for training and break-out action-oriented group work to focus directly on your problems. In order for participants to understand the basics of Lean and to gain enough background to participate in the group work, the first full day is set aside for two training courses.  25 people are chosen for this training.  If they think they already know all of the background, they either are excused or they “waste” time sitting through a training session in hopes of learning something new, refreshing prior knowledge, or just to comply with the organization’s rules.

• Cost for training:  consultant’s fees + travel/room costs + catering + wages and lost opportunity for 25 employees X 1 full day.
• Test of participant understanding:  Not generally formally tested

B. In the second scenario, 25 participants are identified and each is provided access to a computerized course.  This course includes a combination of information presentation and interactive exercises, followed by a criterion-referenced test.  Participants can sign on when convenient and can review any content if they deem it necessary.  They can quickly skip through concepts that are already familiar.  In order to demonstrate understanding, they need to pass the test.  If they think they already know all the background, they can challenge the test and then return to regular duties.  The administrator is able to determine compliance from a remote computer and - based on each individual’s performance - give clearance to proceed to the Lean activity.  Total anticipated time to complete two training courses is 3 hours.  (Compare scenario 1 at 1 full day)

• Cost for workshops:  small participant fees + wages and lost opportunity for 25 employees X 3 hours.  (No consultant cost, travel/room cost, or catering cost for training)
• Testing: Each participant demonstrates understanding via the criterion-referenced test with a preset pass mark of 80% (or higher if you so choose)

Once everyone has completed the training, then a Lean specialist is brought in to carry out the actual on-site intervention.  Everyone starts from the same page.  Your intervention costs are the same in both scenarios.

Research has demonstrated that recipients of LearnTech® basic training retain a high percentage over time.  Research has also demonstrated that on-line training, when combined with workplace application, provides faster learning and longer retention than either classroom training alone or on-line alone.  Therefore, the combination of on-line for introducing of basic information with a Lean specialist leading specific transformation events is expected to provide top results.  You save time.  You save money.  You have well prepared participants. You have standardized curriculum. You demonstrate your commitment to Lean principles from the beginning of the training phase.  You reduce several wastes, especially those associated with people resources, waiting, and travel.  You walk your talk, and use the savings to more than pay for the cost of the training.

2. List of current courses related to Lean for Healthcare

Note that if you are looking for leadership courses resulting in a Green Belt certification, please visit: http://www.automatedlearning.com/leanSCM/products-lean1.cfm

For general information, and for access to the complimentary video, please visit:
http://www.automatedlearning.com/leanSCM/Lean_Healthcare.cfm

Courses can be delivered via LAN, hosted web, a new turnkey LMS solution, your corporate LMS.  Call 613 599-9975 for details. 

Individual course descriptions specific to Healthcare are available at:
Lean: Introduction to Lean Concepts         
Lean: 5S Workplace Organization             
Lean: Kaizen Events    
Lean: Mistakeproofing (coming soon)
Lean: Flow (coming soon)   

Additional courses in Lean that are not specific to Healthcare, but might be useful in your organization are available at http://www.automatedlearning.com/products/lean_index.cfm and include:

Going Lean: Introduction to Lean Tools
Going Lean: Visual Controls
Going Lean: Quick Changeover
Going Lean: Total Productive Maintenance

3. New cohort for Black Belt training in November, 2010

Details of the black belt program are provided at:  http://www.automatedlearning.com/leanSCM/products-lean-blackbelt.cfm

Please phone or email your expression of interest to eabell@automatedlearning.com

4. Need information? Have a question?  Here's how to contact us.

Development Office
232 Herzberg Road, Suite 202
Kanata, ON
K2K 2A1

Administration Office
308 Sandhill Road
Kanata, ON
K2K 2V7

Phone: 613-599-9975 x 16
Toll Free: 866 263-9964
Fax: 613-271-0611

Do you have other suggestions to improve our newsletter?
Please direct any comments or requests to:

Evelyn Abell
VP, Marketing and Sales
Automated Learning Corporation
613 599-9975 x 16
eabell@automatedlearning.com
http://www.automatedlearning.com

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