Toyota’s legendary lean processes didn’t come out of nowhere. They were forged by the fire of urgency in post-World War II Japan when resources were scarce. Toyota innovated—and continued to innovate. Today, the Toyota Production System is the most respected manufacturing and inventory control system on earth—and very hard to duplicate. The company has been able to consistently reduce waste and cost through it’s commitment to lean and high quality products.

Could lean processes transform the U.S. health care system, with its spiraling costs and inconsistent quality?

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