Lean Practitioner for the Diagnostic Laboratory

37.0 Contact Hours. Online/work at your own pace

Program Description

This online certificate program is designed to equip professionals with the knowledge and skills required to serve as a Lean Practitioner in a diagnostic laboratory setting. Through interactive learning modules, real-world case studies, and practical assignments, participants will gain a deep understanding of Lean principles, methods, and techniques inspired by the Toyota Production System (TPS)—a globally recognized framework for operational efficiency and continuous improvement.

As a Lean Practitioner, you will play a pivotal role in transforming laboratory operations by:

• Identifying waste and inefficiencies in laboratory workflows.
• Implementing Lean tools and strategies to improve turnaround times (TATs) and patient outcomes.
• Leading problem-solving initiatives using data-driven decision-making.
• Collaborating with leadership to foster a culture of continuous improvement.
• Educating and mentoring teams to drive sustainable process improvements.

Your Role as a Lean Practitioner

As a Lean Practitioner, you will work closely with laboratory leadership to build and sustain a Lean culture, ensuring that every aspect of laboratory operations is aligned with efficiency, quality, and patient-centered care. You will:

• Establish Lean foundations within the organization.
• Train and mentor staff on Lean methodologies and continuous improvement techniques.
• Facilitate Kaizen events and Gemba Walks to observe and improve real-time workflows.
• Utilize root cause analysis to address and prevent inefficiencies.
• Help reduce diagnostic errors, improve process standardization, and enhance patient safety.
• Ensure compliance with CLIA, CAP, and FDA standards while optimizing operations.

Course Agenda

In this course, you will develop the skills and techniques needed to help your organization systematically eliminate waste and maximize value in diagnostic laboratory operations. Through a structured, hands-on learning approach, you will gain practical knowledge of Lean principles and methodologies.

This Program Includes:

✔ 7 Course Modules – Covering key Lean concepts and their application in laboratory settings.
✔ Instructional Video Presentations – Engaging content to reinforce learning.
✔ 7 Quizzes – One quiz per module to assess comprehension.
✔ 3 Reflection Points – Designed to encourage critical thinking and deeper analysis.
✔ Course Project (7 Assignments) – Apply learned concepts by identifying and eliminating a recurring defect in your lab’s workflow.

Course Text

We will use the following book throughout this course: The New Lean Healthcare Pocket Guide XL – Tools for the Elimination of Waste in hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities. Click here to review the book:

Virtual Group Instruction

Our live virtual classrooms provide teams with an interactive learning experience, allowing for deeper exploration of course concepts and real-world application in their work environment. These sessions offer a collaborative space where participants can:

✔ Engage in weekly live discussions with the instructor.
✔ Ask questions and gain clarity on course content.
✔ Share lessons learned and best practices with peers.
✔ Brainstorm strategies for implementing change in their organization.

For more details on virtual team sessions, including available dates and times, please contact your instructor.

Course Project

The course project consists of seven assignments, each designed to help you apply Lean tools learned throughout the course in your real-world work environment. These assignments provide hands-on experience in identifying inefficiencies, streamlining processes, and implementing sustainable improvements.

Throughout the course, we will reference The New Lean Healthcare Pocket Guide XL – Tools for the Elimination of Waste in Hospitals, Clinics, and Other Healthcare Facilities to support your learning.

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

✔ Explain the principles, methodologies, and tools of Lean as they apply to specific healthcare workflows.
✔ Apply Lean principles to develop a laboratory-specific improvement strategy.
✔ Plan and execute a 5S event, including preparation, implementation, and leadership oversight.
✔ Conduct a “Go and See” observation event to identify inefficiencies and improvement opportunities.
✔ Analyze wasteful activities within a current state value stream map.
✔ Interpret the A3 problem-solving approach, understanding its structure and application.
✔ Define and implement a Kaizen event, including its purpose, process, and expected outcomes.

This course will equip you with practical Lean tools and techniques to drive continuous improvement in laboratory and healthcare settings.