From cars to catheters: Adapting lean principles within a healthcare environment

Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to reviews the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting‐edge research and case studies.

Design/methodology/approach

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

Findings

The paper finds that, on the face of it, any comparisons between an automobile and a hospital ward would seem rather absurd. But such an assumption reckons without the renowned Toyota Production System (TPS) that is becoming increasingly common within environments outside of the automotive industry. Lean thinking is at the core of TPS and this philosophy has influenced workplace culture at the Nord 92 hospital on the fringes of Paris, the French capital. Management and staff have implemented key lean principles to create a learning environment now much better equipped to improve and grow. Since a major tenet of lean is a focus on incremental improvements through continuous reflection, the system clearly offers no quick fix. Getting the basics right must therefore be the priority before more complex problems can be tackled. It makes sense, too. After all, everyone must learn to walk before they can run.

Practical implications

The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations.

Originality/value

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy‐to‐digest format.

Citation

(2007), "From cars to catheters: Adapting lean principles within a healthcare environment", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 21 No. 4, pp. 28-30. https://doi.org/10.1108/14777280710758871