GOING 'GREEN': Health System reducing waste

Waste not, want not. That was the philosophy used when the North Ottawa Community Health System's management was reorganized about five years ago. Under the reorganization plan, the position of director of quality management was reconfigured to include oversight and implementation of lean management initiatives. "Lean processes reduce duplication and waste - resulting in improved quality, improved patient satisfaction, controlled expenses and an overall culture of sustainable thinking,' explained NOCHS marketing specialist Justine Liang.

Mark Brooky

Grand Haven

Apr 21, 2011

Examples of the lean initiatives implemented at the Grand Haven-based health system include a mapping project of nursing processes on the North Ottawa Community Hospital medical/surgical floor.

“It revealed that, just by reorganizing how supplies were stored — location, quantity, more visible labeling — we reduced waste, inventory and the amount of time it was taking nurses to search for items,” Liang said.

In addition, the plans for the upcoming NOCHS long-term care facility at U.S. 31 and M-45 in Grand Haven Township will be designed and built using Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) principles.

To read more of this story, see today’s print edition of the Grand Haven Tribune.