Taking Improvement from the Assembly Line to Healthcare: The Application of Lean within the Healthcare Industry (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780367472382)

Ronald Bercaw is the president of Breakthrough Horizons, LTD, a

management consulting company specializing in world-class improvement

through the application of the Toyota Production System, more commonly

known as "Lean." With over 30 years of experience in operations, his

Lean management experience was gained through multiple enterprise

transformations in different industries, including custom packaging,

power reliability electronics assembly, and test and measurement products.

Educated at Purdue University, Ron learned the details and disciplined

applications of Lean principles, habits, and tools from both the Shingijutsu

Sensei and their first-generation disciples. Working in both shop floor and

above-the-shop-floor areas, Ron has vigorously strived to remove waste

from businesses through the involvement and ideas of the people doing

the work.

Ron has consulting experience in the healthcare sector (U.S. and

Canadian health systems, including health insurance, primary care,

acute care, and community applications of both clinical and back shop

improvement), the commercial sector (administration, manufacturing,

distribution, supply chain, and engineering), and the public sector (U.S.

Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, including MRO, Pentagon, Veteran's

Health Administration, and Surgeon General Assignments), the health

insurance sector, and Lean in agriculture.

In addition to operating his consulting practice, Ron has published

three books: Taking Improvement from the Assembly Line to Healthcare,

Lean Leadership for Healthcare, and The Lean Electronic Medical Record.

The first two books have been awarded the Shingo Research Award for

helping advance the body of Lean knowledge.