Participants in this non-CME half-day gemba tour will be able to choose any 3 of the following 6 sites to see how caregivers are using continuous improvement concepts to improve their work environment and overall patient care. Participants will be escorted by a Cleveland Clinic “Gemba Guide” to and from each site.

In order to maximize the learning experience, groups will be limited in size. Please select the 3 sites you wish to visit. Once a site has been filled, it will be closed for selection. The sites are:

Heart and Vascular Institute
Visit the #1 ranked Heart and Vascular Center in U.S. News and World Report’s Annual Best Hospitals for the past 18 years.

During the gemba visit you will see:

• Cleveland Clinic’s Invasive Cardiology Lab, a department of Cardiovascular Medicine within the Heart and Vascular Institute;
• A daily visual management process and display board that serves as a central communication point;
• Visual management process related to informed consent adherence;
• Output of a data collection system developed to deliver on the aforementioned daily management system.

Emergency Department - Split Flow Implementation
During the gemba visit you will see:

• Split flow model overview with standardized areas, roles, and responsibilities;
• Triage process that splits the patient population into two equally important value streams;
• Improved room utilization using a “no bed owned” philosophy and results waiting area;
• Continuous improvement of the split flow model due to department conditions and/or organizational changes.

Supply Chain Service Center
During the gemba visit you will see:

• A state of the art Service Center that combines five departments: Linen, Central Services, Environmental Services, Patient Food & Nutrition, and Storeroom with the Warehouse Management System and Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs);
• The combination of these functions in conjunction with the AGV technology allow for optimal resource utilization, streamlined delivery processes, and the efficient and effective flow of materials to and from departments;
• Visitors will see the AGV’s in action and see and hear about the visual management tools put in place by storeroom personnel to continually improve their operation.

Cleveland Clinic Laboratories
During the gemba visit you will see:

• An inventory management system premised on kanban with the addition of technology in the form of handheld barcode scanners and a computerized inventory system;
• “Close-at-hand” lab bench design featuring flexible workstations with utilities (ie: power, gas, data, and phone) routed through low-profile chase walls;
• Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) Certified facility.

Inpatient Responsiveness Improvement Process
During the gemba visit you will see:

• Rounding/Responsiveness documentation utilized as part of the Health Unit Coordinator (HUC) introduction and orientation for patients;
• Process scorecard containing key daily input metrics – locators worn/functioning, patient-caregiver assignments made, calls over-target, HUC patient introductions conducted;
• Log/escalation processes for calls over-target;
• Documentation to orient “float” personnel to our process standards/expectations.

The Cleveland Clinic Experience
During the gemba visit you will:

• Hear how the Cleveland Clinic shared its Mission, Vision, Values and Expected Services behaviors to 42,000 employees during an 18-month period of time;
• Experience what participants in the 3.5 hour training session experienced through the use of a visual learning map;
• Learn why all employees are considered “Caregivers.”