A reconsideration of Lean Six Sigma in healthcare after the COVID-19 crisis
International Journal of Lean Six Sigma
ISSN: 2040-4166
Article publication date: 30 July 2021
Issue publication date: 28 January 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to reflect upon the ramifications of two decades of Lean Six Sigma implementations in Dutch healthcare institutions in the light of the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors provide an evaluation of the impact that Lean Six Sigma implementations have had on the ability of Dutch healthcare institutions to respond adequately to healthcare needs during the COVID-19 crisis.
Findings
Process improvement in healthcare has had a tendency to cut capacity and flexibility which are needed to deal with excessive demand shocks, such as during a pandemic. The main reason for this failure seems to be an overly strong focus on cost reduction instigated by Lean Six Sigma during stable times.
Research limitations/implications
Besides the research method being an inferential procedure, the research focuses on the Netherlands and so the generalizability might be limited. However, using Lean Six Sigma to improve healthcare processes has found broad acceptance, so the implications may well carry over to other countries.
Practical implications
The authors call for a more comprehensive approach of process improvement within healthcare that takes flexibility and buffering in anticipation of excess variability and disruption into greater account. Therefore, this study provides a new perspective on how and to which aim Lean Six Sigma should be applied in healthcare.
Originality/value
An assessment is given of the impact of Lean Six Sigma implementations on the ability to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. This is done by identifying the focus points of improvement projects and considering the impact on the resilience of healthcare operations.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewer for the thoughtful, constructive suggestions that greatly improved the paper.
Citation
Kuiper, A., Lee, R.H., van Ham, V.J.J. and Does, R.J.M.M. (2022), "A reconsideration of Lean Six Sigma in healthcare after the COVID-19 crisis", International Journal of Lean Six Sigma, Vol. 13 No. 1, pp. 101-117. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLSS-01-2021-0013
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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