Transferability of Industrial Engineering Methods to the Healthcare Sector

Kasper Edwards, Anders P. Nielsen, Peter Hasle

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingArticle in proceedingsResearchpeer-review

    Abstract

    The Danish public healthcare sector is like other healthcare systems under pressure to deliver more and better services. The sector is especially facing three challenges: Firstly, they must increase their efficiency in order to free capacity and support budget reductions. Secondly, they must increase responsiveness of the health care organizations in order to provide patients with rapid diagnostics and treatment. Finally, the quality levels of care and treatment must also be raised. Difficulties in meeting these challenges often result in public critism and stressed health care workers. With no hope of getting substantial more resources healthcare managers and politicians has begun to look for alternative modes of organization. In doing so the healthcare sector is being exposed to industrial rationalization principles such as lean manufacturing. The question is whether lean opens possibilities for higher efficiency and quality or it just reinforces stress. This question has been studied in three Danish cases in surgery, oncology and home-nurse care, and the results from these case studies are used for a review the use of lean in healthcare. The cases further serve as a basis for discussing the implications of transferring such industrial engineering methods to the healthcare sector. The conclusion of the review suggest that is possible to use lean as an inspiration for improvements of both efficiency, quality and working conditions provided diligent consideration of the particulars of health care organization in comparison with manufacturing industry.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationHuman Factors in Organizational Design and Management - X
    Number of pages6
    PublisherIEA Press
    Publication date2011
    ISBN (Print)9780976814344
    Publication statusPublished - 2011
    EventTenth International Symposium on Human Factors in Organizational Design and Management - Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa
    Duration: 4 Apr 20116 Apr 2011
    Conference number: 10

    Conference

    ConferenceTenth International Symposium on Human Factors in Organizational Design and Management
    Number10
    LocationRhodes University
    Country/TerritorySouth Africa
    CityGrahamstown
    Period04/04/201106/04/2011

    Keywords

    • Lean management
    • Healthcare
    • Case study
    • Work environment

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