Building a lean operating system: The RUHS continuous improvement journey

August 25, 2025 | 11:00 am to 12:00 pm
Pacific
Contact AME: 224-232-5980 | events@ame.org
Fees
Complimentary

Location

Virtual Event
OVERVIEW

Healthcare Series 

What does it take to deploy a sustainable lean operating system in a complex public health environment? In this webinar, Melissa Taylor, Director of Operations for the Continuous Improvement Office at Riverside University Health System (RUHS), will share insights and lessons learned from RUHS’s multi-year journey toward building a lean operating system grounded in people development. From foundational A3 thinking to system-wide management for daily improvement, RUHS has embedded continuous improvement into the way it runs the business — focusing on developing leaders at all levels to think, act, and coach differently.

Attendees will hear how RUHS structured its Continuous Improvement Office to support a network of teams across medical centers, public health, ambulatory, and population health units, enabling spread and sustainment. The presentation will explore the leadership behaviors, governance structures, and standard work that underpinned the transformation — as well as the internal development of lean coaches and the role of “leader as teacher” in accelerating culture change.

Whether you’re early in your Continuous Improvement journey or looking to deepen your impact, this session offers a behind-the-scenes view of what it takes to move from tools to systems to mindset — and how investing in people is at the heart of a successful lean transformation.

HOST COMPANY

Riverside University Health System (RUHS) provides comprehensive, high-quality care to the 2.4 million residents of Riverside County, California. Its integrated network includes a 439-bed Medical Center, 14 Federally Qualified Health Centers, and the departments of Public Health and Behavioral Health. As a trusted safety net provider, RUHS is dedicated to advancing community wellness, medical education and research. With a legacy spanning more than 125 years, RUHS continues to lead through innovation and continuous improvement, delivering compassionate care that meets the evolving needs of the communities it serves. 

PRESENTER

Melissa Taylor, BS, RN, NI-BC, is the Director of Operations for the Continuous Improvement Office at Riverside University Health System. With over 14 years of leadership & healthcare experience, Melissa is passionate about building cultures of continuous improvement, empowering leaders, and aligning operational excellence to mission. At RUHS, she leads a growing internal team of continuous improvement managers and supports the development of a lean operating system that spans acute, ambulatory, and public health services. Her background as a nurse leader and her certification in Nursing Informatics bring a unique lens to her work in strategy deployment, coaching, and transformation leadership.

AGENDA

Monday, August 25, 2025

10:55 a.m.   Check in

11 a.m.        Introduction

11:05 a.m.   Presenter presentation

11:50 a.m.   Q&A

12 p.m.        Webinar concludes

PARTICIPANT BENEFITS
  • Continuous Improvement /Lean leaders in healthcare and public service organizations
  • Operational leaders seeking to embed daily improvement into their teams
  • Executives exploring system-level lean transformation
  • Anyone interested in people development and leadership in Continuous Improvement
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
  • Continuous Improvement /Lean leaders in healthcare and public service organizations 
  • Operational leaders seeking to embed daily improvement into their teams
  • Executives exploring system-level lean transformation
  • Anyone interested in people development and leadership in Continuous Improvement
OTHER REGISTRATION INFORMATION

We strive to host events that are inclusive and accessible to everyone to fully participate and engage. Please email events@ame.org if you have any questions.

If you are not already a member of AME, we invite you to join at this time. Membership benefits include complimentary and discounted event registrations throughout the entire year. To learn more about membership benefits, please visit here.

By participating in this event, you grant AME, or anyone authorized by AME the right to use or publish in print or electronic medium any photograph or video containing your image or likeness for educational, news, or promotional purposes, without compensation.

To fully participate in an AME virtual event, a high-speed internet connection, speaker/headphones, microphone, and webcam are needed. While not required, you will have a better online experience if you do not use wireless internet service. A wired/ethernet connection will have a stronger signal than wireless. Live captioning will be available for this event. Make sure you download the Zoom Client for Meetings desktop application for the best experience. Do not use the version available through your web browser, as it has limited features. https://zoom.us/download.

Cancelation Policy: This event may be canceled by AME for any reason. AME is not responsible for incidental costs incurred by registrants. For paid events, registration fee less a $20 administration fee will be refunded up to one week before the event. Substitutions may be made up to three days prior to the start of the event.