Simpler Consulting Launches Healthcare Advisory Council To Drive Healthcare Insight

PITTSBURGH, March 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Simpler Consulting, L.P., a leading global management consulting firm, launched a Healthcare Advisory Council to provide strategic direction and insight into the healthcare delivery system for Simpler's clients. Utilizing the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Triple Aim as a framework, the Council will advise Simpler on industry trends, the complex needs of hospitals and healthcare organizations to achieve an optimal healthcare system in the short-term, and ways to innovate care pathways for the future. This includes improving the patient experience of care, the quality of care, the health of populations, the reduction of the per capita cost of healthcare and the engagement of the healthcare workforce.  

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Leading the Healthcare Advisory Council are industry veterans Patricia A. Gabow, M.D., MACP, George Palma, M.D., and Kevin Garrett, M.D. Each council member brings a real-world understanding of the challenges healthcare leaders are facing and have led organizations in cultural transformations to eliminate waste and improve patient care. 

• Serving as the CEO of Denver Health for more than 20 years, Dr. Gabow is a definition of leadership under uncertainty. As a public hospital system, Denver Health faced a growing uninsured population, declining reimbursements and an uncertain future for reform; however, by enlisting the leadership, clinicians and staff that Denver Health needed to become a model for the nation, Dr. Gabow implemented Lean management across the organization. Under her leadership, Denver Health not only experienced a financial benefit of more than $190 million through Lean, the healthcare organization emerged as an innovative hub for transforming patient care, improving quality and reducing costs.  Recently retired from Denver Health, Dr. Gabow is a member of the Medicaid and CHIP Access and Payment Commission (MACPAC), the Institute of Medicine Roundtable on Value and Science Driven Health Care and an advisory group to the National Governors Association. She is also a Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

• Dr.  Palma brings 34 years of experience in clinical neurology and administrative medicine to the council, and joined Simpler Consulting as Medical Director earlier this year. Prior to his retirement in 2012, Dr. Palma served as a neurologist with Kaiser Permanente, where he became a passionate student of Lean management and an influential leader in the organization's journey. He facilitated the work to improve patient flow and care experience in the ambulatory care satellites, emergency departments and inpatient units of two large medical centers. Through this work, Dr. Palma learned firsthand how Lean management enables clinicians and staff "to do the right thing" for every patient, every time. This enabled Kaiser Permanente to provide care at a lower cost, while measurably improving the quality of the outcome and the patient's satisfaction.

• Dr. Garrett is a former Chief Medical Officer at St. Vincent Regional Medical Center in Santa Fe, N.M., and was part of the leadership team that brought about the affiliation of St. Vincent with CHRISTUS Health. Prior to his work at St. Vincent's, Dr. Garrett was Vice President for Medical Affairs with ThedaCare, Inc., in northeast Wisconsin. He was part of the leadership team that implemented Lean management throughout the organization.  Through his Lean journey, Dr. Garrett learned about the importance of senior executive commitment and physician involvement in creating a sustainable Lean management system. In November 2012, Dr. Garrett became Vice President for Specialty Programs with HealthEast Care System in St. Paul, M.N., acting as an active Lean management leader. 

"The use of Lean management in healthcare is a movement on a steep learning curve, with a growing number of hospitals across the world using Lean to eliminate waste, break -- not bend -- the cost curve, and improve patient care. Combined with looming cuts in reimbursements and larger emphasis on accountability, the need for innovation and opportunities to reduce costs and improve quality is growing," said Marc Hafer, President and CEO, Simpler Consulting. "Simpler has organized an incredible team of healthcare experts who have accepted the challenge to address these problems head on and provide fresh perspectives and solutions to our global healthcare strategy to support the IHI Triple Aim."

The Healthcare Advisory Council established a goal in 2013 to target and educate other healthcare thought leaders, decision makers and third party groups on the benefits of Lean management as a practical solution that maximizes an organization's ongoing ability to eliminate waste, improve the quality of care and financially thrive within healthcare reform and reduced reimbursements. The Council will also be working closely with Simpler Consulting as it finalizes its global healthcare strategy on how to provide innovative new approaches to healthcare.

About Simpler Consulting, L.P.
Simpler Consulting, L.P. is a leading global management consulting firm that helps companies improve processes to stimulate business-impacting results. Unlike traditional management consulting firms that specialize in developing strategy but fall short on execution, Simpler plays an active role helping clients to create an organizational culture that continuously seeks out opportunities to make improvements. With its proprietary Simpler Business System^®, Simpler has delivered the fastest and most enduring lean transformations at hundreds of organizations around the world. Simpler Consulting's work in healthcare is expanding, with more than 80 healthcare systems across the world using Lean management. To learn more, visit http://www.simpler.com.

SOURCE Simpler Consulting, L.P.