Which performance technique emphasizes the importance of removing non-essential steps to improve processes?

The Lean improvement technique is the correct choice because it fundamentally focuses on the elimination of waste—defined as any activity that does not add value to the end product or service. This approach emphasizes optimizing processes by removing non-essential steps, simplifying workflows, and enhancing efficiency. By concentrating on the value stream, organizations using Lean methods can identify and eliminate wasteful practices, leading to more streamlined operations and improved outcomes for patients and healthcare providers alike.

Lean principles, which originated from manufacturing, have been successfully applied in healthcare settings to optimize patient flow, reduce wait times, and improve service delivery. This relentless pursuit of efficiency is a core tenet of Lean, differentiating it from other methods like Six Sigma, which primarily focuses on reducing variation and defects but does not specifically prioritize the removal of non-value-added steps. The Balanced scorecard and Quality improvement frameworks, while valuable in their own rights, do not specifically emphasize the elimination of non-essential steps as a method for process improvement.