Adapted Kaizen: Multi-Organizational Complex Process Redesign for Adapting Clinical Guidelines for the Digital Age

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Process Improvement Methodologies
• Collaborative Governance

Background:

• Traditional Kaizen, a Lean method, is typically applied within single organizations.
• US federal agencies sought to adapt Kaizen for complex, multidisciplinary, multi-organizational processes.
• Previous adaptations by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and ONC informed further modifications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document an adapted Kaizen method for complex, multi-organizational processes.
• To illustrate the application of adapted Kaizen through the CDC's Adapting Clinical Guidelines for the Digital Age (ACG) initiative.
• To demonstrate the reach and outcomes of the adapted Kaizen method.

Main Methods:

• The adapted Kaizen method involved pre-Kaizen planning, a Kaizen event, and post-Kaizen implementation.
• The method accommodated multidisciplinary and multi-organizational participation.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) utilized this adapted Kaizen in its ACG initiative, involving 5 workgroups.

Main Results:

• Despite challenges in integrating diverse perspectives and priorities, the ACG initiative successfully produced interrelated standards, processes, and tools.
• These outputs support guideline development and implementation in the digital age.
• The adapted Kaizen facilitated the development and dissemination of products that have been leveraged by programs and partners.

Conclusions:

• The adapted Kaizen method is effective for complex, multidisciplinary, and multi-organizational initiatives.
• Collaborative approaches, like the adapted Kaizen used in ACG, are superior to siloed methods for developing and disseminating complex products.
• This documented method provides a framework for future use in similar large-scale collaborative projects.