Abstract

Healthcare providers are facing increasing pressure to improve service, reduce costs,
improve patient safety, reduce waiting times, and reduce errors and associated litigation. The United
States spends 22% more than second-ranked Luxembourg, 49%more than third-ranked Switzerland
on healthcare per capita, and 2.4 times the average of other OECD countries. In Ontario, healthcare
will account for 50% of governmental spending by 2011, two-thirds by 2017, and 100% by 2026
unless a radical approach to healthcare is adopted. In China, 39% of rural and 36% of urban
population cannot afford professional medical treatment despite the success of the country's
economic and social reforms over the past 25 years (OECD Health Data, 2006). Clothier (2006)
estimated that 50% of a clinician's time is not necessary and non-value added in the eyes of the
patient. And as per Nino,V. et al., (2021) patient satisfaction can be availed by reducing the delays
in registration process. By simplifying processes, lean thinking and lean principles can assist in
removing wasteful motion, waiting, and other non-value-added tasks (Wickramasinghe, 2014).