Osaka City University Hospital – Site Tour

Osaka City University Hospital is one of the largest general hospitals in Japan located in Abeno Ward, Osaka City. It has 32 medical departments and handles more than 2,000 patients a day. The hospital provides state-of-the-art medicine and medical care, and it is designated as an Advanced Treatment Hospital by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan.

Basic Information

Hospital: Osaka City University Hospital
Foundation: 1925
Location: Abeno Ward, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture
Affiliation: Osaka City University
Number of departments and hospital beds: 32 medical departments with 980 beds

Osaka City University Hospital – Lean Characteristics

TQM, QC Circle, Kaizen

Osaka City University Hospital is one of the largest general hospitals in Japan. It is well-known as a university hospital providing state-of-the-art medicine and medical care.

The hospital’s mission is to ‘provide high quality health care for the people of Osaka’, ‘foster warm-hearted and reliable health professionals’, and ‘always strive to further develop medical care’. The mission is based on the motto of the university’s Faculty of Medicine: ‘Wisdom, Blessing and Bravery’.

In 2008, through the leadership of the Hospital Director, Total Quality Management (TQM) practices were introduced to the hospital, and since that time the hospital has developed a strong internal TQM and lean health care capability, and has been active in regional and national quality improvement networks and events. The hospital has held internal presentation events annually for over a decade, showcasing Quality Circle activities. A formal Kaizen Promotion Office was established within the hospital in 2016.

Our visits to Osaka City University Hospital showcase the hospital’s approach to developing problem-solving capability through involvement in TQM, and feature presentations from young members of staff on their Quality Circle projects. We will also hear from one of the key leaders of the hospital’s Kaizen Promotion Office on the hospital’s approach to fostering a culture of safety and quality. The visit includes a facility tour within the hospital.

Osaka City University Site Visit Group Photo

The Shinka Management Lean Japan Tour is a professional development program run several times annually. The program includes a mix of lean and kaizen seminars, hands-on lean training and visits to several benchmark lean companies. For further information and program dates, see the lean tour overview page.