Operationalising the Lean principles in maternity service design using 3P methodology

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Service Design
• Lean Healthcare

Background:

• Maternity services in England have seen significant changes, with reduced mortality rates achieved mainly through hospital admissions.
• Concerns exist regarding over-medicalization and a growing demand for personalized maternity care from service users.
• NHS England's strategy aims for modern maternity services balancing safety with personalization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the application of Lean principles and the 3P (production preparation process) method in designing a new maternity department.
• To develop a maternity service model that balances safety with personal choice, aligning with national policy objectives.
• To create an innovative and patient-centered facility design for maternity care.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the 3P (production preparation process) design methodology.
• Applied Lean principles: understanding user value, mapping value streams, creating flow, developing pull processes, and continuous improvement.
• Engaged multiple stakeholders in a time-out (3P) workshop to co-design the pathway and facility.

Main Results:

• Co-designed an innovative
• wrap around care
• hybrid model for maternity services.
• Implemented the Lean concept of pull, centering expectant mothers and drawing resources based on acuity.
• Successfully aligned the innovative design with the aspirations of the National Maternity Review.

Conclusions:

• The application of Lean principles via the 3P method offers a practical approach to designing innovative healthcare services.
• The "wrap around care" model demonstrates a successful strategy for balancing safety and personalization in maternity services.
• The Lean 3P approach shows potential for designing healthcare services that meet policy requirements and user preferences.