Applying Lean Design Principles to a Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Program for Uninsured Patients Improves Health Care Utilization

摘要

There is an emerging national consensus to increase colon and rectal cancer (CRC) screening rates to 80% by 2018. For us, as a nation (and GI specialty) to move from our current 60% to 80% we have to enhance screening among patient populations that are challenged to access our medical system. Those who are underinsured or uninsured pose a special challenge. In this month's Practice Management column, gastroenterologists in Houston, Texas describe the impact of lean management strategies to enhance colon and rectal cancer screening among low-income patients in the Harris Health System. Readers are encouraged to refer to a previous article, which focused on similar patients in Connecticut (Lagarde SP. No one left behind: the road to 80% by 2018.