Lean Strategic Asset Management: Integrating Value, Flow and Capacity Provision in the Uk Health Sector

Grant Mills1, Sameedha Mahadkar2, Andrew D.F. Price3 & Steve Wright4

1Research Associate, Department of Civil and Building Engineering, Loughborough University, LE11 3TU, UK. [email protected]
2Research Assistant, Department of Civil and Building Engineering, Loughborough University, LE11 3TU, UK. [email protected]
3Professor and HaCIRIC Co-Director, Department of Civil and Building Engineering, Loughborough University, LE11 3TU, UK. [email protected]
4Executive Director, European Centre for Health Assets and Architecture, Churchilllaan 11, 3527 GV Utrecht, Netherlands. [email protected]

Abstract

Purpose: The English National Health Service is facing a huge financial and capacity crisis. There is a major need for new thinking in meeting expanding healthcare demand while controlling rising costs, improving quality and raising productivity. Lean thinking will be central to achieving success; however, a broader interpretation of asset value is necessary. Methodology: This paper is based on a health specific literature review of the existing evidence that inter alia supports the use of Lean thinking in infrastructure re-design, reconfiguration, space rationalisation and clinical productivity. There is some reflection on the significant underpinnings of Lean Manufacture, but this has been limited since it has been well documented by others since Womack et al., (1990) and the Toyota Production System (TPS). It also reports on a workshop with academic and industry professionals and outlines a potential future direction for Lean healthcare asset related research and development. Findings: This paper highlights the need for a whole system integrated approach to delivering value over various healthcare care scales through lean asset management. Implications: Incentivising the alignment of national and local healthcare stakeholders around value will maximise the use of scarce capital resources.

Keywords

Assets, Lean, Infrastructure, Healthcare, Value

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Reference

Mills, G. , Mahadkar, S. , Price, A. D. & Wright, S. 2011. Lean Strategic Asset Management: Integrating Value, Flow and Capacity Provision in the Uk Health Sector, 19th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction , -. doi.org/

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