Scott & White Launches Institute Established to Transform Health Care Industry

TEMPLE, Texas, July 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Scott & White Healthcare announced today the creation of a wholly-owned subsidiary devoted to improving health care delivery processes through the implementation of Lean principles. Lean tools have been credited with the success of Toyota and other manufacturers in waste reduction and improved productivity. Steve Hoeft, a leading practitioner and teacher in applying Lean techniques in health care systems, has been named chief executive officer of the Institute for Lean Healthcare Strategies (ILHS).

The mission of ILHS is to serve the public good by educating health care leaders and staff to apply lean thinking and tools to improve delivery processes and achieve the Triple Aim—better care at better cost yielding better health across the U.S. Services to be provided through ILHS include strategic planning, measurement, analysis and knowledge management and process management.

"The health care industry can benefit from the 'lessons learned' in production settings, given our collective desire to provide better service at better cost, which in turn will yield better outcomes," said Robert W. Pryor, M.D., MBA, president and CEO, Scott & White Healthcare. "Through the Institute for Lean Healthcare Strategies, Scott & White will become a leader in the transformation of our industry to better serve the nation in the wake of health care overhaul."

As chief executive officer for ILHS, Hoeft will lead transformation services for the Scott & White system, including inculcating best-practice standards around deploying Lean management strategies and leading continuous improvement efforts. He will also introduce Lean principles to other health care organizations through consultative services.

"Before joining Scott & White, Steve and his teams led over 1,000 successful projects in practically every area of health care," said Pryor. "Coupled with recognized expertise in Lean principles learned from Toyota and others, Steve is uniquely suited to lead transformation efforts at Scott & White and with other health care organizations." 

A former Lean Six Sigma coach and practice area leader for Altarum Institute for nearly a decade, Hoeft is the developer and principle instructor for key courses in the Lean Healthcare, New Product Development and Manufacturing certificate program at the University of Michigan. He is the author of the book, Stories From My Sensei, which received a 2011 Shingo Prize-Research and Professional Publication Award.

Hoeft's professional accomplishments includes his role in the creation of Optiprise, a Lean transformation consulting firm he helped lead with Dr. Jeffrey Liker from 1995 to 2003. His work history includes performance improvement and engineering management positions with Johnson Controls, Delta, LOF lass and General Motors.

A graduate of Wayne State University, Hoeft holds an MBA from the University of Toledo and is a Certified Project Manager through the Project Management Institute.

About Scott & White Healthcare (sw.org)

Scott & White Healthcare is a non-profit collaborative health care system established in 1897 in Temple, Texas.  Among the leading health systems encompassing one of the nation's largest multi-specialty group practices, Scott & White provides personalized, comprehensive health care enhanced by medical education and research.  Scott & White Healthcare includes 12 hospital sites with two additional announced facilities, and 143 clinics at more than 65 clinic locations throughout Central Texas providing adult and pediatric care in 46 medical specialties.  Integrated, high-quality care is delivered by a dedicated staff of more than 12,000 (including 1,000 physicians and scientists and more than 300 specialized health care providers). Get the latest news from Scott & White Healthcare by visiting our online newsroom, News blog or on Twitter (@swhealthcare).

SOURCE Scott & White Healthcare