The Spectrum Health Department of Research (SHOR) supports all of the research activity at Spectrum Health, a mid-size non-academic affiliated, not-for profit health system that includes 14 hospitals in Western Michigan. SHOR employs roughly 100 staff across 4 areas including Research Oversight (IRB), Sponsored Programs, Research Finance, and Clinical Operations Teams. It manages approximately 1,000 studies that include industry sponsored trials, registries and investigator-initiated research. In November 2018, SHOR launched a process improvement tool titled RiHub - Research Improvement Hub. The initiative was inspired by clinical process improvement systems referred to as 'iHubs' at Spectrum Health, the brainchild of Dr. Robert Connors, President of the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital who started the first iHub at Spectrum. These iHubs model their clinical process improvement tools on the Kaizen methodology of rapid and continuous improvement using a visual management system that engages all levels of staff. (Kaizen methodology was initially developed by Toyota in the mid 20th century and has since been adapted to many different types of business operations.) The RiHub in SHOR was developed with two goals in mind: 1) To promote excellence in research administration by adopting cutting edge tools and smart, lean processes, and; 2) To enhance department culture by promoting team based all -inclusive problem solving.
This session will provide an overview of how to use and apply the Kaizen methodology including A3 thinking, visual management boards, establishing metrics of accountability and weekly huddles. There will be an interactive component whereby we will apply the methodology in a hands-on exercise around process improvement.