Blog

Lean design can tackle a range of wastes

Symposium speakers say studies indicate that employees spend 75-95 percent of their time doing things that increase costs and create no value for the customer

By Healthcare Facilities Today


“Most studies indicate that employees spend 75-95 percent of their time doing things that increase costs and create no value for the customer,” said Amanda Mewborn, senior healthcare operational planner, Perkins+Will, when she joined colleague Marvina Williams, clinical operations specialist, Perkins+Will, during Healthcare Design magazine’s webinar  “Using Lean in Healthcare Facility Planning and Design.”

Healthcare Design's senior editor, Anne DiNardo, shared the speakers' list of costly and potentially unproductive activities in a recent blog. The list included

• Overproduction 

• Inventory

• Transportation

• Waiting

The speakers shared case studies where Lean principles helped create optimal designs, DiNardo wrote.

In one, they talked about the use of process modeling to help determine the appropriate size of waiting spaces and number of seats for outpatient clinics in a new medical office building.

“Waiting spaces are often a patient’s first impression when visiting a clinical department or physician office,” Williams said. “Creating adequate spaces that decrease the amount of stress and anxiety are important.”  

Read the blog.

 

 

 

 



December 23, 2013


Topic Area: Blogs


Recent Posts

Probiotic Cleaning: A Complementary Strategy for Safer Hospital Floors

Managers seeking more resilient approaches to environmental hygiene are turning to probiotic systems to supplement traditional disinfection.


VITAS Healthcare Breaks Ground on New Inpatient Hospice Center in Florida

The 14,000-square-foot VITAS inpatient hospice center will open in 2027 and serve 500+ patients annually.


Mile Bluff Medical Center Disrupted by Data Security Event

While some services experienced limited and temporary interruptions, the impact has been narrow in scope.


The Proper Way to Use Cleaning Carts

Environmental services use cleaning carts every day, but they are often overlooked. Keeping them clean and properly stocked is key to preventing infection in healthcare facilities.


JPS Health Network Breaks Ground on New Hospital

The project includes construction of a new inpatient hospital and expansion of the existing Pavilion.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.