IEM Students in Healthcare
FOCUS TOPIC SCENE
Facing increasing financial pressure, the healthcare industry seeks operational improvement. Thus, the demand for data-savvy IEM professionals is increasing. Do you have what it takes to develop the quality of healthcare? We all know that lean has its origins in Japan, right?
disease patients was reduced by 30%. On a high level,
Actually, one of the key concepts of lean, waste
the results in Jönköping were achieved by focusing on
reduction, has been topical even before the 1940s
the process as a whole rather than individual functions,
outside of Japan. In 1917, Frank and Lillian Gilbreth
and patient flow rather than professionals.
published a study called “Applied motion study”. The Jukka-Matti Turtiainen
Local Group Lappeenranta
study aimed to increase the efficiency of brick laying
Healthcare as an industry
to build walls; a centuries-old industry with a lot of
Increasing financial pressure (e.g. because of a
potential for improvement. In addition to bricks, the
rapidly aging population) has forced hospitals to seek
Gilbreths applied the improvement methodologies
improvement in operational efficiency. IEM students
to healthcare. Back in the 1950s already, a physician
rarely consider the magnitude of healthcare costs for
challenged their methods: “Now all right, that system
the economy; according to the World Bank, the EU
of yours might be OK in factories…”. Gilbreth cut him
spent approximately 10.0% of its GDP on healthcare
off and said “... and medicine too!”.
in 2014. Furthermore, the costs have been on the rise, growing from 8.3% in 1995. Facing low economic
Operational efficiency in healthcare
growth, the operational improvement in the European
This phrase is still common nowadays and hospitals
healthcare industry is likely to gain even more traction
around the world have embarked on a mission to
in the future.
improve their efficiency and reduce costs. Hospitals have adopted different improvement methodologies
The authors, Mikko and Jukka-Matti, both conducted a
in search of excellence, one of the most common
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt project focused on operational
being lean. These methodologies have led to significant
improvement in healthcare. The key learnings from
savings in several hospitals. One of the successful
those experiences, along with their implications for IEM
cases has been in Jönköping, Sweden; among other
students, are described below.
improvements, the time spent in the hospital by heart Mikko Rajala
Local Group Helsinki
In Jünköpig, Sweden:
30% less
>50% less
time spent in hospital
waiting for referral appointments
References [1] Pioneers of Industrial Engineering and Heath Care:Part 1 by Mark Graban http://www.iienet2.org/SHS/Details. aspx?id=18454 [2] Health expenditure, total (% of GDP) http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.XPD.TOTL.ZS?locations=EU [3] Population ages 65 and above (% of total) http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.65UP.TO.ZS?locations=EU [4] Master of International Health Care Management, Economics and Policy http://www.healthcarestudies.com/ Master-of-International-Health-Care-Management-Economics-and-Policy/Italy/SDA-Bocconi/ 26
ESTIEM Magazine |51st issue - Distruptive Technologies