Lean implementation in healthcare supply chain: a scoping review
Journal of Health Organization and Management
ISSN: 1477-7266
Article publication date: 18 April 2019
Issue publication date: 24 May 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify the lean production (LP) practices applied in healthcare supply chain and the existing barriers related to their implementation.
Design/methodology/approach
To achieve that, a scoping review was carried out in order to consolidate the main practices and barriers, and also to evidence research gaps and directions according to different theoretical lenses.
Findings
The findings show that there is a consensus on the potential of LP practices implementation in healthcare supply chain, but most studies still report such implementation restricted to specific unit or value stream within a hospital.
Originality/value
Healthcare organizations are under constant pressure to reduce costs and wastes, while improving services and patient safety. Further, its supply chain usually presents great opportunities for improvement, both in terms of cost reduction and quality of care increase. In this sense, the adaptation of LP practices and principles has been widely accepted in healthcare. However, studies show that most implementations fall far short from their goals because they are done in a fragmented way, and not from a system-wide perspective.
Keywords
Citation
Borges, G.A., Tortorella, G., Rossini, M. and Portioli-Staudacher, A. (2019), "Lean implementation in healthcare supply chain: a scoping review", Journal of Health Organization and Management, Vol. 33 No. 3, pp. 304-322. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHOM-06-2018-0176
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited