Lean in healthcare: A comprehensive review

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Operations Research
• Quality Improvement

Background:

• Lean methodology adoption in healthcare has grown significantly since the early 2000s.
• Lean healthcare is an emerging and important research area.
• This study provides an overview of Lean implementation issues in complex healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively review research on Lean implementation in healthcare.
• To identify key themes, challenges, and success factors in Lean healthcare initiatives.
• To highlight areas requiring further investigation.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature review was conducted.
• Articles published up to September 2013 were included.
• Thematic analysis was used to synthesize data from 243 selected articles.

Main Results:

• Lean is primarily viewed as a tool for increasing productivity.
• Hospitals, especially emergency and surgery departments, are the most studied settings.
• The USA leads in Lean healthcare applications, with research focusing on barriers and success factors.

Conclusions:

• Lean's positive impacts and challenges in healthcare require further investigation.
• Sustainability, measurement frameworks, and critical appraisal of Lean are underestimated research areas.
• Healthcare professionals, managers, and policymakers should leverage research for effective Lean implementation.