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Integrating the Lean System Concepts and the Theory of Constraints in a Medical Emergency

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Engineering Design Applications IV

Part of the book series: Advanced Structured Materials ((STRUCTMAT,volume 172))

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Abstract

There is a high demand for care in the health area, especially in hospital emergencies, causing problems such as overcrowding, long waiting times, and, in some cases, even the closing of the units. This work uses the concepts of lean system and theory of constraints (TOC) to propose improvements in the care process, focusing on reducing patients’ waiting time. The object of study was the emergence department of a large hospital located in the south of Brazil. A literature review was carried out to conduct the study, looking for the main tools used in the methodologies. Subsequently, a case study was conducted, suggesting the integrated application of the lean system’s tools and the five steps of focusing the TOC in this environment to minimize waiting times. As a result, it is expected, after the reallocation of the doctors’ scale framework together with the application of these tools, more than 11% reduction in waiting time, contributing to improving the efficiency of care.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Polytechnic School, Graduate Program in Production Engineering, Universidade de São Paulo—USP, Butantã, SP, CEP 05508-010, Brazil

    Jocieli Francisco da Silva, Pedro Paulo Barbosa Feitosa & Luiz Alberto Oliveira Rocha

  2. Mechanical Engineering Graduate Program, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos—UNISINOS, São Leopoldo, RS, CEP 93022-750, Brazil

    Flávia Luana da Silva & Ágata Maitê Ritter

Authors
  1. Jocieli Francisco da Silva
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  2. Flávia Luana da Silva
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  3. Pedro Paulo Barbosa Feitosa
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  4. Luiz Alberto Oliveira Rocha
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  5. Ágata Maitê Ritter
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jocieli Francisco da Silva .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Esslingen University Applied Sciences, Esslingen, Germany

    Andreas Öchsner

  2. Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Mechanics, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany

    Holm Altenbach

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da Silva, J.F., da Silva, F.L., Feitosa, P.P.B., Rocha, L.A.O., Ritter, Á.M. (2022). Integrating the Lean System Concepts and the Theory of Constraints in a Medical Emergency. In: Öchsner, A., Altenbach, H. (eds) Engineering Design Applications IV. Advanced Structured Materials, vol 172. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-97925-6_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-97925-6_5

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-97924-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-97925-6

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