I was chatting to a friend today and he mentioned the Triangle of Fire. This is the definition of the three things that make fires 'successful' - this being 'Heat', 'Oxygen' and 'Fuel'. It is the job of fire-fighters to remove one of these three elements to extinguish the fire - for example, pouring water on the fire to remove the heat, spraying it with CO2 to remove the Oxygen or simply removing the fuel so that it goes out.

This made me immediately think of a Lean Healthcare Triangle of Fire - with the elements being:

Engagement - getting engagement from across the organisation/s involved

Capability - having the skills and competence to carry forward improvements

Structure - setting up a robust structure for improvement, including communications, management support etc

If you remove any of these elements, then your Lean Healthcare Programme will not be successful!

Without Engagement there is no Commitment

Without Capability there is no Action

Without Structure there is no Direction

What do you think?

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