Over 50 companies and 200 participants have completed a postgraduate diploma course in Lean Health Systems in the University of Limerick.
The University of Limerick introduced a postgraduate Lean Health Systems Diploma in 2006.
This innovative distance education, part time programme, is designed to allow participants to put lean thinking into practice in Irish health care.
It was developed by UL, in collaboration with the Irish Society for Quality and Safety in Healthcare, The Adelaide, Meath Hospitals including the . National Children’s Hospitals at Tallaght and the Bon Secours Hospital Group. It is a sector specific rollout of UL’s highly successful Specialist Diploma – Lean Systems.
The diploma aims to provide Irish healthcare professionals education and practical application to a Black Belt level in lean.
“Participants learn and apply patient-centred, lean process thinking to drive improvement with measurable results within their healthcare organisations. A practical project will form a key element of the programme, ensuring the integration of the various concepts in the participants’ workplace,” according to the College.
“The application of Lean Thinking has the potential to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the system for both the patient and the healthcare professionals, by reducing costs and getting the best from resource use”.
It is targeted at healthcare professionals who have responsibility for quality or continuous improvement within their organisation and those who wish to develop knowledge and skills in the area of Lean Healthcare Systems.
The programme forms part of the M.Sc. in Strategic Quality Management Lean Sigma Systems. Those who have completed this programme may continue on to the M.Sc.
It is targeted at healthcare professionals who have responsibility for quality or continuous improvement
The programme takes ten months and is run over two semesters, each 15 weeks, with ten weeks project write up upon completion of the taught element.
Entry qualifications are a relevant primary degree/recognised professional qualification and one to three years relevant industry experience or a portfolio of evidence of prior qualifications in quality management together with the application of learning or competence (e.g green/black belt project reports, reflective papers or journals). Two references from appropriate signatories in the candidate’s organisation are accepted as evidence .
The course commences in January and September. Applications open from April and November. Details and online application form are available on the website www.ul.ie/ulearning or from Eithne Connolly at ulearning@ul.ie or 061-213360
