Case Study: Introduction to Lean Practices in Healthcare
- Occiden and Company
- Sep 29
- 3 min read
Cross-Industry Lessons with Measurable Results
Imagine a multi-site primary care group (8 providers) and a dermatology specialty clinic (4 providers) working to reduce patient wait times, tighten revenue leakage, and cut documentation burden. At Occiden and Company, we’ve developed a Lean-first, digital-forward playbook adapted from high-performing non-healthcare operations (manufacturing and e-commerce fulfillment).
When applied in composite scenarios like these, clinics can see outcomes such as:
Visit cycle time ↓ 27% (check-in to check-out)
On-time appointment starts ↑ 22 percentage points
No-show rate ↓ 19% via targeted outreach and smart overbooking
Claims first-pass acceptance (FPA) ↑ 8 pp
Provider after-hours documentation ↓ 38% with ambient AI
Throughput (completed visits/provider/day) ↑ 15–18%
Note: Outcomes are drawn from a mix of engagements and industry benchmarks; actual results vary by context.
Client Profile & Challenge
General medicine group: chronic disease management, high phone volume, long check-in lines, variable provider utilization.
Dermatology clinic: procedure-heavy days, room turnover friction, charting backlog, and rising no-shows.
Shared pain points: fragmented workflows, inconsistent room readiness, manual intake, and documentation spillover after hours.
Cross-Industry Analogy (The Catalyst)
We mapped typical clinic flows against a Tier-1 auto components plant and a mid-size e-commerce fulfillment center:
Manufacturing lens: value stream mapping, takt/throughput focus, 5S for room setup, visual controls, andons for “flow breaks.”
Fulfillment lens: digital “front door,” predictive demand (no-show risk), slotting/kanban for supplies, and real-time control towers to orchestrate flow.
Comparative Analysis: What Transfers from Industry to Clinics
What We Implemented (Illustrative 12-Week Sprint)
Diagnose flow: Value stream mapping; time-in-state study; identify failure modes.
Stabilize the floor: 5S + standard work in rooms; intake pre-work upstream.
Digitize where it matters: Online booking, eligibility pre-check, predictive no-show outreach, ambient AI charting.
Orchestrate & sustain: Mini “command center” view; daily huddles; weekly KPI reviews.
Why This Works (And What’s New in AI)
Lean exposes the work; digital accelerates it. Stable flow ensures AI and automation stick.
Ambient clinical intelligence reduces charting time and cognitive load.
Predictive operations flag no-shows and optimize scheduling.
Hospital-grade flow control scaled to clinics provides real-time oversight.
Measured Impact (Composite Benchmarks)
Access & flow: days-to-next-available ↓ 29%; visit cycle time ↓ 27%.
Revenue integrity: FPA claims ↑ 8 pp; denial rework ↓ 21%.
Experience: patient NPS ↑ 12 points; staff satisfaction ↑ 15 points.
Clinician time: after-hours notes ↓ 38%.
6-Month ROI Model (Illustrative)
+3 completed visits/provider/day at $140 net yield ≈ +$84K/year (per 4-provider pod)
Denials reduced 20% on $2.4M claim volume ≈ +$48K/year
Overtime & temp staff avoided ≈ +$22K/year
Total uplift: ≈ $154K/year per pod (before tech costs)
What This Means for Clinics
General practice: stabilize variability, reduce check-in friction, protect provider time.
Specialty care: improve room readiness, sequence staff tasks, balance provider/room load.
Quick Start: Your First 30 Days
Map one patient journey from check-in to claim.
5S one exam room + one procedure cart.
Activate e-forms & eligibility pre-check.
Pilot ambient AI with two providers.
Flag no-show risk on schedule & A/B test reminders.
Begin 10-minute daily huddles with a flow board.
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