Celebrations

Lean but not-so-mean at the BHN

By Shawn Mawhiney

The Institute of Living Access Center team gathers, pre-pandemic. The team is the first from the Behavioral Health Network to earn Lean Silver Certification.

The Institute of Living Assessment Center became the first Behavioral Health Network (BHN) team and the second across Hartford HealthCare to achieve Lean Silver Certification.

The honor recognized the Center’s work to transform culture, improve patient flow and engage staff in problem-solving, resulting in a dramatic improvement in patient experience in the Hartford Hospital Emergency Department’s Purple Pod, the psychiatric unit.

“We went from being off everybody’s radar to being a truly reliable community resource,” said Dr. David Pepper, BHN psychiatrist in Hartford Hospital’s ED. “A lot of heart went into this project. It was very positive.”

At the center was the Purple Light Project led by Assessment Center Manager Erica Moura. She said the Lean model helped standardize processes, create efficiencies and implement many staff ideas. Patient experience success stories included:

• Sending Purple Pod patients handwritten cards after discharge. In six months, RSSs sent 537 cards.
• Creating the role of recovery support specialist (RSS) and adding two to the Purple Pod. RSSs guide patients to recovery based on shared experience and understanding challenges associated with recovery.

• Creating the role of recovery support specialist (RSS) and adding two to the Purple Pod. RSSs guide patients to recovery based on shared experience and understanding challenges associated with recovery.
• Optimizing next-day appointments.
• Finding transportation to facilitate earlier discharge for patients.
• Raising more than $23,000 to purchase comfort items including warm blankets and winter clothing.

“In an environment as uncertain as the emergency department, it was necessary to utilize the Lean model to standardize our processes to make things as streamlined and efficient as possible,” Moura said. “The focus has always been on patient experience. Using Lean tools helped us improve patient experience and enhance employee engagement. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.”

The Lean certification process was two years in the making. Achieving Silver requires implementing HHC‘s Operating Model and sustaining outcomes. Over two years, the team utilized Lean tools on 51 Standard Work projects, held 15 A3 meetings and created 192 opportunity cards from staff ideas.

  • Shining a purple light

    Erica Moura, LCSW, MBA, manager of the Institute of Living (IOL) Assessment Center, found out exactly how behavioral healthcare resonates with people in the community when she started The Purple Light Project.

    Her goal was to raise funds and collect needed items for emergency psychiatric patients in the Hartford Hospital Emergency Department Purple Pod to make it more patient centered. After several fundraisers and hundreds of donations, the Purple Light Project raised nearly $23,000 in its first year.

    - Robin Stanley