Lean healthcare

Abstract

The case study / report presented describes how processes were improved using Lean Value Stream Mapping tools and Queue Theory tools. Major outcomes were focused on reducing waiting time for patient access to treatment slots and reducing daily waiting time for access to treatment slots. The performance improvement was in the order of 75% total access slots, reducing from two hours to 30 minutes; and access to care waiting time reduced from more than three months to same day access to special cases; and one week waiting time or “planned access” to all other. The process redesign also eliminated up to three hours of overtime daily.

Applying Lean in Process Innovation in Healthcare: The Case of Hip Fracture

“…Finally, Coelho et al present evidence of process innovation in health processes, for example, they reduced the cancer outpatient chemotherapy process cycle time from 2 h to 30 min [57].…”

“…Two hundred and three (203) papers distributed in 120 journals were found to meet the inclusion criteria. In Latin America, Brazilian authors such as Coehlo et al (2015) present a case study of process improvement, in which the performance improvement of the total workspace was 75% and the reduction in waiting for patient care went from 2 h to 30 min [57]. Coelho et al (2015) also point out that Lean and Kaizen's efforts can eliminate at least three hours a day of overtime in hospitals in Brazil.…”

“…In Latin America, Brazilian authors such as Coehlo et al (2015) present a case study of process improvement, in which the performance improvement of the total workspace was 75% and the reduction in waiting for patient care went from 2 h to 30 min [57]. Coelho et al (2015) also point out that Lean and Kaizen's efforts can eliminate at least three hours a day of overtime in hospitals in Brazil. Curatolo et al, in 2014, also performed a literature review indicating that a Lean approach with a high-methodological maturity level that includes the 11 characteristic activities of process innovation or Business Process Improvement has never been reported [58].…”

Improving performance of the hospitalization process by applying the principles of Lean Thinking

“…Among the numerous Lean tools, the most cited in the studies, are the Value Stream Map (VSM), Visual Management, Ishikawa diagram, Kanban, Standardization, Kaizen Process map (Cruz and Leitner, 2010; Babu Purushothaman et al , 2020). Therefore, LT allows to carry out a qualitative evaluation and its strength lies in its series of standard solutions to common problems (George, 2003; De Koning et al , 2006; Coelho et al , 2015; Akmal et al , 2020). Lean has spread to other sectors and organizations gradually moving to services, in fact, since the beginning of the twenty-first century, Lean tools have also been used in the healthcare sector (Young and McClean, 2008; Kelendar, 2020).…”