In this episode, I interviewed Sarah Cook, a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt consultant from Pepper Foster Consulting in Portland, Oregon. She shares her journey from the VA medical center to becoming a performance engineer in healthcare. She discusses the application of Lean and Six Sigma methodologies to healthcare, the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare systems, and the critical importance of data-driven decision-making. We also discussed practical strategies for process improvement in healthcare, building trust, and mitigating risks effectively. Learn about a project she worked on reducing surgical infection rates, implementing daily tiered huddles, and the significance of psychological safety in fostering a good improvement culture. We also talked about valuable insights on monitoring data fluctuations, creating effective visual charts, and using control charts to monitor processes. This episode is a must-watch for anyone looking to drive sustainable improvements in healthcare.* 00:20  Journey into Lean and Process Improvement



* 02:16  Impact of COVID on Healthcare Processes



* 05:19  Lean vs. Six Sigma in Quality Improvement



* 07:42  Challenges and Successes in Process Improvement



* 15:39  Building Trust and Managing Change



* 21:56  Building Trust in Conversations



* 22:36  Mistakes in the Clinical Laboratory



* 23:32  Addressing Shame and Fear in Healthcare



* 26:36  Proactive Risk Mitigation



* 32:33  The Importance of Small Improvements



* 36:31  Reacting to Data Fluctuations



* 38:49  Visualizing Process Improvements



* 39:48  Conclusion and Contact InformationListen to the podcast on this page, or watch the video below, or go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya6gXyUcads



Links* Sarah Cook – LinkedIn* Email: sarah.cook@pepperfoster.com



* Pepper Foster



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