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Using Value Stream Mapping to Improve Processes in a Urology Department

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Lean Thinking for Healthcare

Part of the book series: Healthcare Delivery in the Information Age ((Healthcare Delivery Inform. Age))

Abstract

In order to realise the healthcare delivery goals of access, quality and value, it is necessary to examine existing processes to identify opportunities to redesign them and incorporate ICT (information communication technologies) to enable effective and efficient processes that do facilitate the delivery of superior healthcare. Value stream mapping technique can be used in identifying wastes in the process for elimination so as to improve overall efficiency and throughput. The following discusses this in the context of a urology clinic at a large hospital in the MidWest, USA.

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Acknowledgements

The author wishes to acknowledge Katharina Gaensler of the University of Cooperative Education Heidenheim, Germany for her invaluable assistance on this project.

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Correspondence to Nilmini Wickramasinghe .

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Gonzalez, C.M., Lau, K.H., Wickramasinghe, N. (2014). Using Value Stream Mapping to Improve Processes in a Urology Department. In: Wickramasinghe, N., Al-Hakim, L., Gonzalez, C., Tan, J. (eds) Lean Thinking for Healthcare. Healthcare Delivery in the Information Age. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8036-5_26

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8036-5_26

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