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Using Lean Six Sigma to Redesign the Supply Chain to the Operating Room Department of a Private Hospital to Reduce Associated Costs and Release Nursing Time to Care

Author

Listed:
  • Lisa O’Mahony

    (Beacon Hospital, UCD Beacon Academy, Beacon Court, Bracken Road, Sandyford Business Park, Sandyford, D18 AK68 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Kerrie McCarthy

    (Beacon Hospital, UCD Beacon Academy, Beacon Court, Bracken Road, Sandyford Business Park, Sandyford, D18 AK68 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Josephine O’Donoghue

    (Beacon Hospital, UCD Beacon Academy, Beacon Court, Bracken Road, Sandyford Business Park, Sandyford, D18 AK68 Dublin, Ireland)

  • Seán Paul Teeling

    (UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Education and Innovation in Health Systems, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland
    Centre for Person-Centred Practice Research, Division of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Queen Margaret University Drive, Queen Margaret University, Musselburgh EH21 6UU, East Lothian, Scotland, UK)

  • Marie Ward

    (Centre for Innovative Human Systems, School of Psychology, Trinity College, The University of Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland)

  • Martin McNamara

    (UCD Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, Education and Innovation in Health Systems, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems, University College Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland)

Abstract

Continuity of the supply chain is an integral element in the safe and timely delivery of health services. Lean Six Sigma (LSS), a continuous improvement approach, aims to drive efficiencies and standardisation in processes, and while well established in the manufacturing and supply chain industries, also has relevance in healthcare supply chain management. This study outlines the application of LSS tools and techniques within the supply chain of an Operating Room (OR) setting in a private hospital in Dublin, Ireland. A pre-/post-intervention design was employed following the Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control (DMAIC) framework and applying LSS methodology to redesign the current process for stock management both within the OR storage area and within a pilot OR suite, through collaborative, inclusive, and participatory engagement with staff. A set of improvements were implemented to standardise and streamline the stock management in both areas. The main outcomes from the improvements implemented were an overall reduction in the value of stock held within the operating theatre by 17.7%, a reduction in the value of stock going out of date by 91.7%, and a reduction in the time spent by clinical staff preparing stock required for procedures by 45%, all demonstrating the effectiveness of LSS in healthcare supply chain management.

Suggested Citation

  • Lisa O’Mahony & Kerrie McCarthy & Josephine O’Donoghue & Seán Paul Teeling & Marie Ward & Martin McNamara, 2021. "Using Lean Six Sigma to Redesign the Supply Chain to the Operating Room Department of a Private Hospital to Reduce Associated Costs and Release Nursing Time to Care," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-14, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:21:p:11011-:d:660380
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sharon J Williams, 2017. "Improving Healthcare Operations," Springer Books, Springer, number 978-3-319-46913-3, September.
    2. Seán Paul Teeling & Jan Dewing & Deborah Baldie, 2021. "A Realist Inquiry to Identify the Contribution of Lean Six Sigma to Person-Centred Care and Cultures," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-21, October.
    3. Guerrero, W.J. & Yeung, T.G. & Guéret, C., 2013. "Joint-optimization of inventory policies on a multi-product multi-echelon pharmaceutical system with batching and ordering constraints," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 231(1), pages 98-108.
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    5. Dario Pranckevicius & Deisell M. Diaz & Howard Gitlow, 2008. "A lean six sigma case study: an application of the “5s” techniques," Journal of Advances in Management Research, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 5(1), pages 63-79, January.
    6. Beata Kollberg & Jens J. Dahlgaard & Per‐Olaf Brehmer, 2007. "Measuring lean initiatives in health care services: issues and findings," International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 56(1), pages 7-24, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Diego Tlapa & Ignacio Franco-Alucano & Jorge Limon-Romero & Yolanda Baez-Lopez & Guilherme Tortorella, 2022. "Lean, Six Sigma, and Simulation: Evidence from Healthcare Interventions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-25, December.
    2. Ailish Daly & Sean Paul Teeling & Suzanne Garvey & Marie Ward & Martin McNamara, 2022. "Using a Combined Lean and Person-Centred Approach to Support the Resumption of Routine Hospital Activity following the First Wave of COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-20, February.
    3. Patricia Egan & Anthony Pierce & Audrey Flynn & Sean Paul Teeling & Marie Ward & Martin McNamara, 2021. "Releasing Operating Room Nursing Time to Care through the Reduction of Surgical Case Preparation Time: A Lean Six Sigma Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-15, November.
    4. Seán Paul Teeling & Jan Dewing & Deborah Baldie, 2022. "Developing New Methods for Person-Centred Approaches to Adjudicate Context–Mechanism–Outcome Configurations in Realist Evaluation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-17, February.
    5. Martin McNamara & Marie Ward & Seán Paul Teeling, 2023. "Making a Sustainable Difference to People, Processes and Systems: Whole-Systems Approaches to Process Improvement in Health Systems," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-5, March.
    6. Chayada Kanokphanvanich & Wanchai Rattanawong & Varin Vongmanee, 2023. "A New Model for a Sustainable Healthcare Supply Chain Prioritizes Patient Safety: Using the Fuzzy Delphi Method to Identify Healthcare Workers’ Perspectives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-23, April.
    7. Sinead Moffatt & Catherine Garry & Hannah McCann & Sean Paul Teeling & Marie Ward & Martin McNamara, 2022. "The Use of Lean Six Sigma Methodology in the Reduction of Patient Length of Stay Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Surgery," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-18, January.
    8. Marie E. Ward & Ailish Daly & Martin McNamara & Suzanne Garvey & Sean Paul Teeling, 2022. "A Case Study of a Whole System Approach to Improvement in an Acute Hospital Setting," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-22, January.
    9. Anne Dempsey & Ciara Robinson & Niamh Moffatt & Therese Hennessy & Annmarie Bradshaw & Sean Paul Teeling & Marie Ward & Martin McNamara, 2021. "Lean Six Sigma Redesign of a Process for Healthcare Mandatory Education in Basic Life Support—A Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-18, November.

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