Healthcare Executive Embraces Lean Six Sigma to Improve Effectiveness and Efficiency

As the health industry continues to grow, people like Angela Lahr play an increasingly vital role. As the Associate Vice President of Clinical Operations at Evangelical Community Hospital in Lewisburg, Pa., she oversees a large number of departments, and focuses on running them as effectively and efficiently as possible.

In 2019, Lahr completed Villanova University’s Certificate in Lean Six Sigma program and passed her Lean Six Sigma Black Belt exam to become a Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt professional. Her journey through the program provides insight into how earning a Lean Six Sigma certificate or certification can help elevate a leader’s skills.

“Go big or go home,” Lahr said of her decision to pursue her Black Belt certification. “I wanted to be able to lead improvement initiatives and help teach and guide teams to continue to improve on their own.”

A Long History in Healthcare

Lahr’s responsibilities at Evangelical Community Hospital include overseeing Cardiopulmonary Services, Cardiovascular Services, Imaging, Laboratory, Pharmacy, Rehabilitative Services, and The Heart and Vascular Center.

Lahr has worked at the Hospital for 30 years. She started her career as a Phlebotomist as she attended school to become a Medical Technologist (MT). She then moved into administrative roles, starting as Assistant Director of Laboratory Services, then moving up to Administrative Director of Laboratory Services before attaining her current job.

She first heard of Lean while working as an MT. She received training in the basics of the methodology, and found that, “the principles simply made sense to me, and I quickly began to embark on quality improvement initiatives by applying Lean principles.”

Lahr soon decided she wanted to build on her basic understanding of Lean and Six Sigma and decided to research Lean Six Sigma training programs. “I wanted a certificate to support my belief in both methodologies as a means to make efficiency and quality improvements in healthcare,” she said.

Lahr, a veteran of the Navy, said that Villanova’s commitment to military members and veterans were deciding factors in her decision to enroll.

Below, Lahr talks about her career, Lean Six Sigma’s application in healthcare, and her experience in Villanova’s Lean Six Sigma program.

What was your favorite class and why?

My favorite class was Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. It was intense, but very engaging. It pulled all the concepts together and I felt well prepared to take the [Black Belt certification] exam.

What surprised you most about taking Villanova’s program?

The intensity of the program surprised me but was very fulfilling. I have taken other online programs from other universities and Villanova’s classes are challenging, but very organized. All the information you need is in the curriculum.

What was your most valuable takeaway from the Lean Six Sigma program?

The importance of being able to lead a team and teach concepts is essential to a Black Belt.

Can you describe some ways Lean Six Sigma is applicable in healthcare?

The opportunities are endless. Currently, [at Evangelical Community Hospital] we are engaged in restructuring the supply chain process from order entry to delivery to the nursing units. This restructure is employing Kanban, 5S and other Lean principles to reduce floor stock and level the workload for the storeroom staff.

How do you apply Lean Six Sigma in your role at Evangelical Community Hospital?

Much of our Lean Six Sigma wins are in the moment – small changes that have a profound effect on the end product. For example, we are in the process of building new nursing units. Having a solid understanding of Lean Six Sigma principles guides decision-making throughout the design process. Spaces are designed to facilitate a Lean environment.

Do you have a favorite Lean Six Sigma tool or concept?

The 5S tool is my favorite. 5S seems to be the tool that has the ability to reduce the stress in your day. When you do not waste time looking for key tools to perform your job, frustration is minimized, and the day seems to go smoother.

(The 5S tool refers to sort, set in order, shine, standardize and sustain, and is a methodology that seeks to create a workplace that is clean, uncluttered and well-organized with reduced waste and optimized productivity).

 What is one fun fact about you?

I will not hesitate to ‘Lean Out’ anything, even the simple stuff. There was an employee appreciation event at the hospital that included free ice cream for the employees. I was helping serve when I noticed we were tripping over and bumping into each other. I called for a pause, reorganized the ice cream and supplies, then we resumed serving in a one-piece continuous flow process. Sometimes it is just the simple things.

How is your employer benefitting from the skills you’ve learned?

I frequently am asked to look at processes outside my areas and offer advice. From within my areas, I work with the Directors to identify processes that have opportunity for improvement. I then guide them along by offering “just-in-time” education on specific Lean principles. When needed I apply the Six Sigma principles to the data we collect to analyze their improvement efforts.