An introduction to Kaizen in health care

Kaizen is a Japanese word with two parts: 'zen' meaning 'good' and 'kai' meaning 'change', translating literally as 'good change' or 'improvement'. Kaizen or continuous improvement-based approaches have been applied to many industries including health care. Kaizen principles include that everyone should be involved in daily improvement, that managers and front-line staff work together and that solutions should be small and incremental. Implementing Kaizen can have a strong influence on organizational culture including medical engagement, as highlighted through key case studies. One obstacle to successful change is the culture of organizations involved. This article highlights the potential for Kaizen as an agent for change in the NHS.