Lean In Health Care Essay

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2.2 Lean in healthcare This is a set of operating philosophies and techniques that enables create a maximum value for patients by reducing waste and waits (Lawal, Rotter, Kinsman, Sari, Harrison, Jeffery and Kutz 2014). Despite its roots from Japan, there are no publications on lean deployment in Japanese healthcare organisations at the time where implementation of lean principles in healthcare was becoming popular in Europe and the USA (Teich and Faddoul, 2013 cites Guimarães and Carvalho, 2012). But this does not necessarily mean lean principles were adopted in healthcare in Europe and USA before Japan. This could be due to the lack of Japanese case publishing tradition or lean is so embedded in Japanese culture to the extent that, only …show more content…

She notes that different healthcare units need different approaches. She explained further that lean is a new way of thinking and working but not a one-time change of work processes. She also stressed that it is difficult to take ideas from one culture and apply them to another, especially if these ideas involve people, behaviours, practices and ways of thinking which is in the case of lean. She stressed further that the best implementation strategy is an approach with more focus on finding ways that are consistent with the specific conditions and suit a healthcare culture. 2.2.3 Lean implementation in Healthcare Lean projects in healthcare has become widespread in recent times (Papadopoulos T, Radnor Z and Merali Y, 2011 cites Brandao de Souza, 2009). In current literature on lean healthcare reports and application, the USA dominates by 57 per cent, with the UK 29 per cent, followed by Australia at 4 per cent (Papadopoulos T, Radnor Z and Merali Y, 2011 cites Brandao de Souza, 2009). A survey of US hospitals in 2009 reported that 53% of hospitals have implemented lean to some extent and 60% out of the 53% have implemented lean in ED (Holden 2011 cites American Society for Quality,

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