How to combine lean and safety management in health care processes: A case from Spain

摘要

Resource reduction and need to assure high quality levels in healthcare have induced hospitals to develop projects that report multiple performances. In order to pursue patient safety and efficiency improvements simultaneously, "lean & safety" projects (L&S projects) could be implemented, combining Health Lean Management (HLM) and Clinical Risk Management (CRM). This research aims to understand how L&S projects can be implemented. The analyzed case is an exemplary one, as it has been triggered by who is in charge of patient safety and required firstly to reduce incidents and secondly to obtain efficiency improvements. Using an interview protocol grasped from literature, data have been collected conducting semi-structured interviews, analyzing relevant archival documentation and executing observations on the field. A new framework of analysis has been created answering the research purpose.