Lean methodology: contributions to improving work processes in health and nursing.

OBJECTIVE: to investigate the contributions of applying the Lean methodology to improve work processes in health and nursing and its impact on associated financial aspects. METHOD: an integrative review, carried out in six databases, whose sample of ten (100.0%) studies was analyzed and summarized descriptively. RESULTS: the outcomes obtained were stratified into: benefits/barriers to Lean Healthcare implementation; economic aspects involving Lean Healthcare implementation; and process improvements through Lean Healthcare implementation. The majority of studies (60.0%) were carried out in university hospitals, contexts that need to continually improve the quality of services provided, generally with scarce and limited resources, which support the viability of maintaining the teaching, research and extension tripod. CONCLUSION: three (30.0%) studies highlighted the financial aspects associated with Lean methodology application. The others only mentioned the possibility of financial gains through improving processes and reducing waste.

Process-based Management aimed at improving health care and financial results.

The limited resources allocated to the health area and the growing demands require leaders' qualified and committed performance in hospital management. In this perspective, the objective of this study is to reflect on the management practices that can be applied to hospital facilities to achieve better care and financial results. Among them, process-based management proposes an approach for continuous process improvement to achieve desired results; the method Lean Six Sigma allows identifying and eliminating waste in production processes; the continuous improvement model combines practical knowledge with the knowledge of how the system to be improved works, through observations and changes that allow its results measurement; and cost management and value-based healthcare provides for care mapping, from beginning to end, to assess what actually adds value to patients. The contributions of implementing these practices are recognized worldwide; using them, processes can be increased, improving efficiency, reducing waste, adding value to the business, increasing its revenue, and resulting in savings that can be passed on to the consumer, by improving quality.

Process-based Management aimed at improving health care and financial results / Gestión basada en procesos visando a mejoría de los resultados asistenciales y financieros en Salud / Gestão baseada em processos visando à melhoria dos resultados assistenciais e financeiros em Saúde

ABSTRACT The limited resources allocated to the health area and the growing demands require leaders' qualified and committed performance in hospital management. In this perspective, the objective of this study is to reflect on the management practices that can be applied to hospital facilities to achieve better care and financial results. Among them, process-based management proposes an approach for continuous process improvement to achieve desired results; the method Lean Six Sigma allows identifying and eliminating waste in production processes; the continuous improvement model combines practical knowledge with the knowledge of how the system to be improved works, through observations and changes that allow its results measurement; and cost management and value-based healthcare provides for care mapping, from beginning to end, to assess what actually adds value to patients. The contributions of implementing these practices are recognized worldwide; using them, processes can be increased, improving efficiency, reducing waste, adding value to the business, increasing its revenue, and resulting in savings that can be passed on to the consumer, by improving quality.

RESUMEN Los recursos limitados destinados al área de Salud y las crecientes demandas exigen la actuación calificada y comprometida de líderes en la gestión hospitalaria. En esta perspectiva, el objetivo es reflexionar sobre las prácticas de gestión que se pueden aplicar a las instituciones hospitalarias para lograr mejores resultados asistenciales y económicos. Entre ellos, la gestión basada en procesos propone un enfoque de mejora continua de procesos para lograr los resultados deseados; el método Lean Six Sigma permite identificar y eliminar los desperdicios en los procesos productivos; el modelo de mejoría continua combina el conocimiento práctico al conocimiento del funcionamiento del sistema que se reta mejorar, a través de observaciones y cambios que permitan la medición de sus resultados; y la gestión de costes y de salud atención médica basada en el valor establece que la atención sea mapeada, desde el principio hasta el final del proceso, para evaluar lo que efectivamente es lo que agrega valor a los pacientes. Las contribuciones de implementación de esas prácticas son reconocidas a nivel mundial; con ellas se pueden incrementar los procesos, aumentando la eficiencia, reduciendo los desperdicios, agregando valor al negocio, aumentando sus ingresos y generando ahorros que pueden transferirse al consumidor, al mejorar la calidad.

RESUMO Os recursos limitados destinados à área da Saúde e as demandas crescentes requerem a atuação qualificada e compromissada dos líderes na gestão hospitalar. Nesta perspectiva, objetiva-se refletir sobre as práticas de gestão passíveis de serem aplicadas às instituições hospitalares visando o alcance de melhores resultados assistenciais e financeiros. Dentre elas, a gestão baseada em processos propõe uma abordagem para melhoria contínua dos processos a fim de alcançar os resultados desejados; o método Lean Six Sigma permite identificar e eliminar desperdícios nos processos produtivos; o modelo de melhoria contínua alia o conhecimento prático ao conhecimento do funcionamento do sistema a ser melhorado, por meio de observações e mudanças que permitam a mensuração de seus resultados; e a gestão de custos e a Saúde baseada em valor preveem que o cuidado seja mapeado, do início ao fim do processo, para avaliar o que, de fato, agrega valor aos pacientes. As contribuições da implementação dessas práticas são reconhecidas mundialmente; utilizando-as, os processos podem ser incrementados, aumentando a eficiência, reduzindo os desperdícios, agregando valor ao negócio, aumentando a sua receita e resultando em economias que podem ser repassadas ao consumidor, pela melhoria da qualidade.