We hear the term 'lean laboratory' more and more often and the desire to work more efficiently is great. But the lean method is more than a trend. Geanne Sterenberg from UMC Utrecht explains that lean is not a short-term fix, but a culture change. As a Senior Continuous Improvement Expert, she is concerned with optimizing the processes within the hospital in the areas of care, education and research.
The lean method has been used in industry since the 1950s and has its origins in the Japanese Toyota. Geanne says that this methodology is extremely suitable for a hospital environment: “According to the lean philosophy, you view the process from the perspective of the end user. The end user can be a customer or a patient, but also a colleague. Precisely because you work with people in the hospital, it is important to always keep the end user in mind.”
Five basic principles
When you start working with the lean method, you first determine what the value is for the end user. Consider which process you are working on and how it contributes to the customer or patient. You then determine what you do to create this value. Once you have mapped out the process, you identify and eliminate so-called 'waste'. These are actions in your process that do not add value for the customer. Consider waiting times or stock. In the next step you adjust the process and set it up to 'pull'. This means that you only start when there is a customer request. Finally, you continue to improve the process and strive for perfection: “The recommendation is to continue to improve the process because the environment is also constantly changing. Legislation and techniques change, but the customer and customer wishes can also change. Nowadays we see that sustainability is increasingly important.”
The five basic principles of the lean method:Determine the value for your customer Determine how this value is created in your processes Identify and eliminate waste Set up your process for pull Strive for perfection, continuously improve
More job satisfaction
The lean method is sometimes associated with saving FTEs. But Geanne explains that this is not a cost-saving method: “It is a misunderstanding that lean is about cost saving. The goal is to create value for the end user. This results in cost savings because you eliminate waste, but that is not the goal. When you focus on cost savings, quality decreases. If you focus on quality, costs go down.”
In addition to the improved quality for the end user, this method also benefits the employees themselves: “Working according to the lean method can provide a lot of job satisfaction. It is not the task of managers or management to improve processes, but this responsibility lies with the employee himself. This is a cultural change and requires managers to take on a more coaching and facilitating role. In addition, working with lean provides much more clarity and overview. The work processes and expectations are clearer.”
“When you focus on cost savings, quality decreases. If you focus on quality, costs go down.”
Challenges
This way of working provides many benefits, but also requires discipline. Sometimes employees are reluctant to change their working methods, especially if they have been doing them in a certain way for a long time. It is therefore important to do it together. “If you map processes, employees themselves see the effects of activities and tasks on others,” says Geanne. “It is also important to measure. For example, by providing insight into the lead time or customer satisfaction, you can show what can be achieved by improving processes.”
The lean method can be applied at different scales. You can look at all your processes at a very high level, or apply them on a small scale in daily activities. In the laboratory the 5S methodology very successful. 5S focuses on a tidy workplace to prevent waste on the work floor, among other things. In the workshop 'The first steps towards a lean laboratory' during LabNL, Geanne will work with the participants on the 5S methodology. This way you can immediately start improving your processes.
The workshop was given during LabNL 2023.
Nederlands