Dr. Gene Lindsey Brings Leadership Experience in Community-based Patient Care to Simpler Consulting's Healthcare Advisory Council

PITTSBURGH, May 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Simpler Consulting, L.P., a leading global management consulting firm, today announced the appointment of Dr. Gene Lindsey to its Healthcare Advisory Council. As President and CEO of Atrius Health and Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, Dr. Lindsey brings experience in leading the largest independent alliance of physician groups in Massachusetts through payment reform, implementing an accountable care organization and developing new solutions for practice and quality innovation. As a member of the Healthcare Advisory Council, Dr. Lindsey will provide constructive input on the continued enhancement of the healthcare delivery system for Simpler and its clients, using the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's (IHI) Triple Aim.

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Under Dr. Lindsey's leadership, more than 1,100 physicians and a combined 8,000 advanced practice clinicians, physicians and staff at Atrius Health and Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates have progressed on a continuing journey to Lean transformation. Dr. Lindsey and his team have created a learning environment to improve quality and safety for patients and employees by reinforcing Lean management philosophy and behaviors. The results of Atrius Health's Lean metamorphosis are accelerating as more of the organization is trained and coming on board. Since implementing Lean, Atrius Health and Harvard Vanguard have experienced multimillion dollar savings while improving patient care. For example:

• By improving patient flow, the MRI suite at Harvard Vanguard has decreased turnaround and patient wait time to offer next day appointments with a net gain of more than $750,000 per year.
• The Endoscopy suite has improved capacity and access for patients without increasing overhead or staffing costs, which resulted in a gain of approximately $1 million per year.
• The Concord practice of Harvard Vanguard used Lean management to streamline the design of its new building in a patient-centered way, substantially decreasing the amount of space required.
• Harvard Vanguard increased its collections of outstanding receivables by over $1 million.
• Several practices have greatly increased the control of hypertension in patients with diabetes.

"Since we first began working with Atrius Health in 2009, Dr. Lindsey has pursued Lean knowledge with a vigor seldom demonstrated by CEOs of such vast organizations and mind boggling time pressures," said Marc Hafer, President and CEO, Simpler Consulting. "As his knowledge, confidence and commitment to Lean continue to grow, we look forward to leveraging Dr. Lindsey's expertise and thought leadership as a member of the Simpler Healthcare Advisory Council."

Along with Dr. Lindsey, Simpler's Advisory Council includes Patricia A. Gabow, M.D., MACP, George Palma, M.D., and Kevin Garrett, M.D.

"Lean management is a critical part of the culture change required by any organization seeking to achieve the IHI Triple Aim goal of improving patient experience, population health and affordability of care," said Dr. Gene Lindsey, President and CEO, Atrius Health and Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates. "As part of the Simpler Advisory Council, my goal is to support physicians across the country drive change with a more rapid adoption of Lean."

Dr. Lindsey has been a practicing internist and cardiologist for Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates and its predecessors for nearly 40 years. He is a sought-after speaker and was featured at the Lean Enterprise Institute Transformation Summit on Innovation in Healthcare. Prior to his role as President and CEO, he was Chairman of the Board of Directors for Atrius Health and Chairman of the Board of Directors for Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates. He also served on the board of Harvard Community Health Plan/Harvard Pilgrim Health Care.

Dr. Lindsey received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School and a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from the University of South Carolina. He is a past recipient of the Harvard Community Health Plan Dorsey Award and the Harvard Pilgrim Ebert Award. He currently serves on the board of Guthrie Health and the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission Advisory Council.

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. To learn more, visit http://www.simpler.com.

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