Tissue Bank Implements Lean Manufacturing Practices To Remain Competitive
In 1987 surgeons and teaching institutions established The Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation (MTF) to meet the need for a high quality and consistent allograft supply. The Foundation also supports research to expand the science of transplantation, and encourages the efforts of its members and non-member clients to improve the understanding of donation and transplantation among the medical community and the public at large. MTF has recovered tissue from more than 60,000 donors and distributed more than 3 million grafts for transplantation. The Foundation currently has 1150 employees.
The Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation felt the processes and the internal silos were hampering its effectiveness. Although its employees were very talented, there often was a backlog of cases. MTF’s objective was to improve its productivity by reducing the time to process orders and stabilize its current prices to remain competitive with tissue banks located in areas with a lower cost of living and cost of doing business.
NJMEP met with MTF staff in order to assess the client’s needs and objectives. Following the assessment, NJMEP developed a Lean Concepts and Communications Improvement Plan. With assistance from NJMEP, MTF secured a customized training grant from the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development to implement the program. The yearlong improvement plan included all levels of the organization to assure a common language and message was communicated to everyone. Training consisted of a team building course that improved cross training, courses in communications and computer skills that would increase the staffs knowledge base and skill levels. In addition, there were thirty-six days of Lean Manufacturing concepts that included Principles of Lean Manufacturing, Value Stream Mapping, Workplace Organization, Quick Change and Applying Lean techniques in the workplace. These concepts greatly increased productivity and improved workflow. Additional training included basic skills-ESL and Communications, Intro to Excel and Business Communications.
MTF’s competitiveness and profitability improved as a result of its increased efficiency and productivity. In addition to realizing a cost savings of $200,000, MTF has seen a 20% improvement in productivity, reduced its cases pending from 179 to zero, reduced order processing time from twenty-three days to one day, increased its inventory and has hired eight-five new employees.
“Working with NJMEP was easy and they all did a great job. There is nothing but good to say about the service we received. I have recommended NJMEP to others and would like to be able to continue working with them this year.” Robert Russo, Assoc. Director of Logistics.
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