Lean procedures in medical supply chain processes

Abstract

Decreasing incremental medical costs and expenses, increasing quality, maximizing patient and employee satisfaction are all among principal objects of healthcare facilities. It is necessary revising and simplifying all processes in order to achieve those objectives. Lean thinking, among others, is the best way to this end along with lean principles. Lean thinking and lean principles are not only eliminating all activities, which do not add value to processes, but they also aim reducing time spared for value-added processes. A management philosophy which addresses all processes with the motto “there will be always a problem to resolve and a cost to eliminate” is the basic factor, which ensures development. Health managers and each stake holder with an actual role in healthcare service should identify wastage and inefficiencies in relevant area, if those managers and stakeholders have all processes down to a fine art. Achievement originates from possession of techniques, time and knowledge by concerning parties to resolve problems, along with the view of continuous improvement. This study aims to identify factors leading to wastage in Supply Chain Processes, which are among the most critical processes of hospitals, and applications, which will add value to those processes by increasing quality of those processes. In this end, it is to demonstrate applicability of the Lean Supply Process Model by addressing all activities with and without added-value at all stages, ranging from product request and requirement planning to delivery of products to main store, transfer from main store to sub-stores and inventory count and invoicing.