MGMA Insights: Humanizing Lean Leadership in Healthcare – A Conversation with Owen Dahl
Download MP3Welcome to the MGMA Insights Podcast, where we bring expert insights to help medical practice leaders and MGMA members navigate the challenges of the healthcare industry. I’m Daniel Williams, your host and Senior Editor at MGMA. Today, we have a returning guest, healthcare consultant and author Owen Dahl. Owen’s latest book, Humanizing Lean Leadership in Healthcare, published by MGMA, is the focal point of this episode. We’ll discuss how Lean principles can be adapted to foster a human-centric approach in medical practices, tackling staff engagement, efficiency, and patient outcomes.
Key Topics Covered:
- The motivation behind Humanizing Lean Leadership in Healthcare and how it fills a content gap in Lean literature.
- How organizations can integrate Lean tools while keeping a strong focus on culture and human engagement.
- The parallels between Lean implementation and adapting to AI in the workplace.
- Practical examples of culture-driven success in medical practices using Lean principles.
- Details about Owen Dahl’s Lean Six Sigma Green Belt course offered by MGMA and how it aligns with his book.
Major Takeaways:
- The Need for Human-Centric Lean: Owen emphasizes that while Lean and Six Sigma often focus on metrics and efficiency, it’s crucial to engage employees' minds and skills. “One of the bigger wastes that we’ve always seen is that the employees’ brains are not engaged as much as they should be.”
- Adapting to Change: With the rise of AI, many fear job loss. Owen discusses that adaptation and upskilling employees are essential for leveraging new technologies successfully: “The ones that are going to be successful are those that are going to adapt... and use it effectively.”
- Culture as the Foundation: Successful integration of Lean and AI depends on a strong organizational culture. Owen states, “If the culture is not accepting of these kinds of things happening, that organization is probably doomed to fail.”
- Real-World Applications: Owen shares insights from a case study involving a 20-doctor practice where Lean tools were tailored to meet the needs of individual departments, resulting in improved patient satisfaction and staff retention.
- Educational Opportunities: Owen highlights the flexibility of MGMA’s Lean Six Sigma Green Belt course, which allows participants to apply Lean tools to real-world projects within their practices.
Quotes:
- “It’s humanizing efficiency... to meet the demand and still make it a great patient experience.”
- “Every organization needs to look at itself in relation to AI, Lean, and staff retention to be successful.”
Resources:
Recommended Reading:
- Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
- Nexus by Yuval Noah Harari
For more information and additional resources, visit the MGMA website.
Podcast Sponsor Boost Lingo
This episode is brought to you by Boost Lingo, the language services platform behind MGMA Translate, interpreter delays and high agency fees, strain budgets, and staff morale. Boost lingo on demand fixes both tap once and a qualified medical interpreter joins in about 13 seconds. Video or phone on any device. No steep learning curve. It just works. Tap, connect, care. Choose from 14,000 interpreters covering over 300 languages. Fully HIPAA compliant. Your staff will love the ease and your patients will too. Plus MGMA members save 20%. Visit https://boostlingo.com/mgma/ to see it in action today.
Podcast Sponsor MGMA Analytics
Are you making decisions based on gut instinct—or on real data?
With MGMA Analytics, you get the benchmarking and business intelligence tools to drive smarter strategies.
From provider compensation to operational costs, MGMA Analytics gives you access to the most trusted data in the industry.
So whether you’re adjusting staffing, setting salaries, or planning for growth, make your next move with confidence.
Visit MGMA Analytics to learn more.
This episode is brought to you by Boost Lingo, the language services platform behind MGMA Translate, interpreter delays and high agency fees, strain budgets, and staff morale. Boost lingo on demand fixes both tap once and a qualified medical interpreter joins in about 13 seconds. Video or phone on any device. No steep learning curve. It just works. Tap, connect, care. Choose from 14,000 interpreters covering over 300 languages. Fully HIPAA compliant. Your staff will love the ease and your patients will too. Plus MGMA members save 20%. Visit https://boostlingo.com/mgma/ to see it in action today.
Podcast Sponsor MGMA Analytics
Are you making decisions based on gut instinct—or on real data?
With MGMA Analytics, you get the benchmarking and business intelligence tools to drive smarter strategies.
From provider compensation to operational costs, MGMA Analytics gives you access to the most trusted data in the industry.
So whether you’re adjusting staffing, setting salaries, or planning for growth, make your next move with confidence.
Visit MGMA Analytics to learn more.
