Title: Implementing lean in surgery – lessons and implications

Authors: Kasper Edwards; Anders Paarup Nielsen; Peter Jacobsen

Addresses: Department of Management Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Produktionstorvet, Building 425, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark. ' Department of Production and Mechanical Engineering, Ballerup, Lautrupvang 2B, 2750 Ballerup, Denmark. ' Department of Management Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Produktionstorvet, Building 426, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark

Abstract: The principles of lean production originating from the Toyota production system has spread from manufacturing to healthcare. Needless to say, this raises concern whether such principles are actually applicable where the product are humans in need of medical care and what are the consequences for the medical staff. The literature on lean does not suggest that lean should not be applicable in healthcare. Still this paper begins by discussing if the principles of lean from a theoretical perspective can be expected to work in healthcare. It is found that that it will be useful in certain types of settings but it is not a universal tool that may be applied to all aspects of healthcare. A case of lean in a surgical ward is presented and it is observed that patients have been split in to two flows, which can be described as a lean and a normal flow.

Keywords: lean implementation; healthcare; surgery; patient flow; working conditions; surgical wards; hospitals.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2012.043948

International Journal of Technology Management, 2012 Vol.57 No.1/2/3, pp.4 - 17

Published online: 06 Apr 2013 *

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