The Participative Design of an Endoscopy Facility using Lean 3P

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Facility Design
• Lean Management in Healthcare
• Patient Experience Improvement

Background:

• Bowel cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in the UK, necessitating earlier diagnosis through endoscopy.
• Increasing demand for endoscopies strains healthcare resources and impacts waiting times.
• Facility design must balance user needs with structural and spatial limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To redesign an endoscopy unit to increase capacity and enhance user experience.
• To address challenges in facility design for healthcare settings.
• To explore the application of Lean design principles in healthcare infrastructure.

Main Methods:

• Employed the Lean 3P (production preparation process) participative design strategy.
• Conducted a 3P event (time-out workshop) utilizing Lean and participative design tools.
• Focused on 'point of delivery' (POD) principles for innovative design.

Main Results:

• Achieved a 25% increase in treatment room capacity and a 70% increase in bed capacity.
• Reduced patient travel distance by 25.8% and staff travel distance by 27.1%.
• Accomplished these improvements with only a 13% increase in available space.

Conclusions:

• The Lean 3P method facilitated effective collaboration between corporate, clinical staff, and patient representatives.
• This participative approach enhanced communication and shared understanding of care processes and preferences.
• Lean 3P is a promising strategy for optimizing healthcare facility design to meet diverse user requirements.