Gemba Walk Plan for Healthcare Organization (Essay Sample)

Gemba Walk Plan for ABC Healthcare Organization Name: Institutional Affiliation: Gemba Walk Plan for ABC Health care Organization using the “4 Ws” Gemba refers to a specific place in an organization where real work is executed to create the intended value (Dana, 2015). Also, the term means a place where managers and leaders of an organization should spend much of their time to achieve meaningful improvements. In health care, Gemba involves frontline workplaces like the clinic, the ward, and the waiting room (Weiss et al., 2017). The “4 Ws” refer to a tool that is used to gather information during an observation in the Gemba walk. The "4 Ws" encompass four questions that are aimed at understanding what may be happening in healthcare, who is involved in the action, and what solution can be taken against the stated challenge. The following section describes a plan of the Gemba walk using the “4 Ws.” What is Happening? The first step of the Gemba walk will involve an observation of the flow of patients in the clinic. The data to be gathered at this stage will include how patients are received, treated, and released. The knowledge of the types of patients and medical services provided in a certain setting is important in identifying healthcare risks. The type of activities varies in different healthcare settings depending on the complexity of an organization (Soliman, 2018). Acute care hospitals have multiple areas that are specialized for various functions like surgical procedures for inpatients and outpatients, rehabilitation services, and emergency care. Why is the Activity Taking Place? This is a stage at which an observer identifies and records the factors contributing to the current actions and processes in healthcare. The aspects may include the layout of the health center, available tools and equipment, and the number of staff available. The data to be recorded at this stage will entail the possible laboratory errors during diagnosis (Singh and Sittig, 2015). The errors may be caused by faulty equipment or negligence among staff. Another factor that leads to medical errors is communication breakdown. Who is Involved? At this stage, various departments and staff members involved in the diagnostic activities or other patient flow processes at ABC healthcare should be identified. The personnel in the healthcare setting include doctors, nurses, billing staff, and receptionists. Dekker (2011) affirms that even the most experienced clinicians make mistakes. However, human errors are among the mishaps that can be abolished in healthcare to prevent serious consequences. Therefore, perioperative clinicians should be aware of human errors, their impacts, and how to reduce them. Errors arising in healthcare can be categorized as active or latent (Al-Assaf et al., 2003). The latter are caused by organizational inadequacies, while the former arise at individual levels. What can be Done in Improving the Healthcare Processes? Based on the observation and the collected data, the areas of improvement will be identified before developing a plan to implement changes. Some of the recommended actions can include reo...