Evaluation of Waste Related to the Admission Process of Low-Complexity Patients in Emergency Services, in Light of the Lean Healthcare Philosophy

Letícia Bianchini de Barros, Laura Passos Caldas, Elena Bohomol, Alice Sarantopoulos, Vinicius Minatogawa and Renata Cristina Gasparino
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Letícia Bianchini de Barros: School of Nursing, University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-887, Brazil
Laura Passos Caldas: School of Nursing, Pontíficia Universidade Católica de Campinas, Campinas 13087-571, Brazil
Elena Bohomol: School of Nursing, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo 04024-002, Brazil
Alice Sarantopoulos: Atos Inova Saúde, Campinas 13085-055, Brazil
Vinicius Minatogawa: Escuela de Ingeniería de Construcción y Transporte, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
Renata Cristina Gasparino: School of Nursing, University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-887, Brazil

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 12, 1-11

Abstract: The adequacy of work processes in healthcare services contributes to the quality of care provided to the patient. However, in emergency units, overcrowding is a constant reality, resulting in the lack of materials and long waiting lines. Taking this into consideration, this study aimed to map and analyze the value stream of patients classified as blue, green, or yellow in a Referral Emergency Unit. The evaluation research with analysis of processes was carried out in a teaching hospital on 30 patients seen at the emergency service. Value Stream Maps were drawn and the times involved in the process were calculated. Wastes and their possible causes were identified. A total of 13 maps were created and the mean process time between the activities involved in the process ranged between 7.3′ and 114.0′; the interruption time, between 0′ and 27.6′; the waiting time, between 43.2′ and 507.5′; and the lead time between 56.6′ and 638.0′ min. Some causes of waste were: high demand from patients; a shortage of personnel and offices. Following the Ishikawa Diagram, most of the waste is found regarding methods, human resources, and physical structure.

Keywords: process assessment; health care; quality management; health services administration; emergency service; hospital; hospitals; university (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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