Evaluating the Impacts of Lean Management Practices in Healthcare via Simulation

Lean management has proved to be the preferred way of managers who strive for achieving performances comparable to that of the Toyota Company that firstly applied the “no wastes” philosophy. In healthcare, managers look at reducing the patients' waiting times and management costs, increasing productivity and optimizing the resources allocation. In order to build consensus about the effectiveness of lean practices, two simulation models representing the two costliest departments of a public healthcare facility in Southern Italy (an Elective Surgery Department and the Intensive Care and Resuscitation Unit) have been developed. The simulation models have been equipped with built-in functions capable of implementing different lean policies (e.g. 5S method, visual management, kanban method, pull system) which supports planning and patients' scheduling activities. Simulated results ensure managerial advantages (e.g. resources' utilization levels), savings (e.g. overtime costs) and improved customer satisfaction (e.g. patients' waiting times and waiting lists' lengths).