Lean Six Sigma in Healthcare: Lessons from Eddie Conklin
Welcome to the latest episode of Why They Fail podcast. In this episode, host Kevin Clay speaks with Eddie Conklin, a veteran of continuous improvement with over 40 years of experience in both manufacturing and healthcare. Eddie shares how early lessons from factory floors shaped the way he now transforms operating rooms, sterile cores, and hospital systems.
From Factory Floors to Operating Rooms
Eddie’s journey began at just 16 years old, working alongside industrial engineers in his father’s factory. Those early experiences taught him the value of process improvement, efficiency, and safety. Later, concepts like Single Minute Exchange of Dies (SMED), originally designed for quick tool changes in manufacturing, would become powerful solutions in healthcare, reducing operating room turnover times and enabling more patients to be treated each day.
Applying Lean Tools in Healthcare
Eddie explains how tools such as 5S and Kanban improved hospital inventory systems. By rethinking sterile core storage and implementing right-sizing strategies, his team eliminated hoarding, reduced expired materials, and ensured critical sets were always available when surgeons needed them.
Visual management, daily huddles, and Andon-style signals helped frontline staff and leadership align in real time, creating a culture of continuous flow.
The Power of Data as a Myth Buster
While Lean tools streamline processes, Eddie emphasizes that data is gospel. In both steel mills and hospitals, data analysis shattered long-held assumptions, exposing root causes that intuition and tradition had overlooked. From staffing plans in central processing to infection control analysis, Six Sigma methods turned anecdotal beliefs into measurable, lasting improvements.
Building a Culture of Continuous Improvement
Beyond tools and data, Eddie stresses the importance of infrastructure and culture. Leadership walking the floor, cross-functional collaboration, and effective huddles ensure improvements are sustained. Just as in manufacturing, breaking down barriers between management and frontline teams creates trust, accountability, and results.
Key Takeaways from this Episode
⚙️ Lessons from manufacturing, like SMED, 5S, and Kanban, directly improve hospital efficiency.
📊 Data-driven analysis is essential to bust myths, expose true root causes, and guide staffing and scheduling.
🏥 Continuous improvement in healthcare requires both quick fixes for stability and structured Six Sigma projects for long-term impact.
👥 Culture matters: huddles, visual management, and leadership presence are as important as statistical tools.
🔄 The ultimate goal of Lean Six Sigma is continuous flow – whether in a factory or an operating room.
About Six Sigma Development Solutions
This episode of “Why They Fail” is brought to you by Six Sigma Development Solutions, Inc., providing “Operational Excellence” Around the Globe!
Six Sigma Development Solutions, Inc. offers comprehensive Lean Six Sigma certification training, accredited by the International Association for Six Sigma Certification (IASSC) as an Authorized Training Organization. They have transformed over 100 organizations in 52 countries and achieved $100M USD in savings through Lean Six Sigma, certifying over 4000 practitioners. Their partners include Aerojet Rocketdyne, Dropbox, and Mercy Health, among others.
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Answering the Question “What is …”:
- What is LEAN? ( https://sixsigmadsi.com/what-is-lean/)
- What Is Six Sigma? ( https://sixsigmadsi.com/what-is-six-sigma/)
- What is a Green Belt? ( https://sixsigmadsi.com/what-is-a-six-sigma-green-belt/)
- What is a Black Belt? ( https://sixsigmadsi.com/what-is-a-six-sigma-black-belt/)
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📌 Chapters / Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
05:51 Translating Manufacturing Concepts to Healthcare
09:41 Optimizing Operating Room Efficiency with SMED
13:35 Data-Driven Decision Making in Healthcare
16:42 Myth Busting in Healthcare Using Data Analysis
20:56 The Role of Data in Hospital Operations
24:49 Tackling Healthcare Challenges with Lean Six Sigma
26:15 Why Infrastructure Matters in Continuous Improvement
27:26 Daily Huddles: A Cultural Shift in Healthcare Teams
28:07 Breaking Barriers: Management on the Hospital Floor
30:25 Integrating Design Engineering and Production Systems
31:38 Visual Management in Healthcare Operations
34:45 How to Overcome Obstacles in Lean Six Sigma Projects
35:57 Lean and Six Sigma in Healthcare Explained
36:26 Operational Excellence on the Factory Floor
36:54 Closing Thoughts / Next Chapter
