Track: Six Sigma

Abstract

In the quest to improve the quality of healthcare services and ensure greater safety for patients, healthcare institutions look for alternatives that could help them to achieve this goal. The lean methodology has been a solution found by these organization. This study has explored through lean healthcare literature i) main barriers and facilitators to implement lean approach into healthcare organizations, and ii) practices and tools used to continuous improvements into them. To reach the search goals, 179 documents, retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science databases, were analyzed. Throughout analysis, the main barriers of lean programs implementation within healthcare institutions are related to resistance to change, low level of staff involvement, firm commitment to a cultural change, departments working in silos, misunderstanding of lean concepts and its benefits. On the other hand, the main facilitators are support and engagement by leadership, training and development of workers and a cross functional collaboration. This study also contributes labeling with most frequent lean practices and tools - value stream mapping, fishbone diagram and SIPOC. The findings of this research provide practical implications since the barriers and facilitators raised from literature will support healthcare professionals in lean healthcare journey into their organizations and consequently improve their competitiveness through high level of efficiency, quality of care and practitioners satisfaction. 

Keywords
Lean production, Healthcare, Lean Healthcare, Barriers, Facilitators.