Healthcare professionals have a long history of caring for their patients and improving the quality of their services. During the Crimean War (1853–1856), British nurse Florence Nightingale realized that the mortality rate of soldiers was far too high. A visionary statistician as well as a talented nurse, she spent months analyzing data to identify what caused the high rate of mortality. She found that hygiene and sanitization were neglected in the triage and care of the soldiers.

To get the support she needed for positive change, she created a “rose diagram” that visually showed the primary causes of soldiers’ mortality and convinced others of the problem. The diagram showed that infections led to the majority of deaths.

Her immediate solution was to implement hand washing and other clean practices, which reduced the mortality rate by 40 percent.

Without realizing it, Nightingale practiced lean. She saw a problem, created a solution, and applied it. She focused on improving the care that her patients received. Her ultimate goal was keeping them safe and leading them to wellness.

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