


Interview with Jeff Liker: The Toyota Way to Service Excellence
New Book: The Toyota Way to Service Excellence
Earlier this…

Why are Lean and Toyota methods rare in Japan's hospitals? A Japanese physician explains
Quality improvement approaches in Japanese hospitals
It probably…

Japan Gemba Visit: Toyota Memorial Hospital – Part 5: The role of managers and physicians in leading improvement
In the previous four posts in this series about my visit to Toyota…

Japan Gemba Visit: Toyota Memorial Hospital - Part 4: Set challenging goals & engage patients and staff in continuous improvement
Continuous Improvement and the Toyota Way
In an earlier…

Japan Gemba Visit - Toyota Memorial Hospital: Part 3 - Toyota Production System principles in action
As I shared in previous posts, Toyota Memorial Hospital (TMH)…

Japan Gemba Visit: Toyota Memorial Hospital - Part 2: "Our human resources are our power"
In the first post in a series of reflections from my visit…

Japan Gemba Visit: Toyota Memorial Hospital - Part 1: The most "Lean" hospital in Japan
Leadership lessons in Toyota City - this time at Toyota Memorial…

What does "Lean" mean in Japan? Are Japanese hospitals practicing "Lean"?
As a Lean healthcare practitioner and coach, it has been one…

Toyota Kyushu gemba visit: Part 3 - "If you always ask for success, then people will lie."
Before I visited the Toyota Kyushu plant to talk with the Toyota…




Toyota Kyushu gemba visit: Part 2 - TPS Promotion Office
Following our tour of the Toyota Kyushu plant, which I wrote…




Toyota Kyushu gemba visit: Part 1 - Miyata plant tour
Last week I flew down to Japan's southern island of Kyushu to…