Applying Lean principles to create a high throughput mass COVID-19 vaccination site

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Healthcare Management
• Process Improvement

Background:

• Mass vaccination campaigns require efficient operational strategies.
• High throughput is crucial for timely population immunization during pandemics.
• Existing vaccination sites face challenges in optimizing patient flow and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement Lean principles for a high-throughput COVID-19 vaccination site.
• To enhance the efficiency, reliability, and productivity of mass vaccination operations.
• To share a reproducible model for optimizing vaccination site performance.

Main Methods:

• Applied Lean tools including value stream mapping and standardized work protocols.
• Standardized physical workspace design and work processes.
• Implemented visual checklists and downstream personnel checks for reliability.
• Monitored productivity using vaccination start/completion times and run charts.

Main Results:

• Achieved a maximum throughput of 5024 injections over 10 hours with 78 personnel.
• Attained threefold-fourfold higher productivity compared to other published COVID-19 mass-vaccination sites.
• Demonstrated the effectiveness of Lean principles in optimizing vaccination site operations.

Conclusions:

• Lean principles provide a robust framework for creating highly productive and reliable mass vaccination sites.
• Standardization of processes, workspace design, and quality checks are key to maximizing throughput.
• The described approach offers a scalable and effective model for future public health vaccination initiatives.