Metodologia lean healthcare vivências de gestores no contexto hospitalar

Abstract

The Lean methodology, or Lean Process Management, originated in the manufacturing industry and has been used in the area of health under the name "Lean Healthcare" since 2006. The Lean principles are focused on improving the quality of patient care . Its purpose is to eliminate waste and to ensure greater attention in providing care, through the system of continuous improvement. It is assumed that the use of Lean principles in health environments influences the roles, responsibilities, characteristics of managers' work and their relationship with the team. The present study aimed to understand the experiences of managers of a Brazilian hospital with the Lean methodology. It is a case study, with a qualitative approach, whose participants were 23 managers of care and support departments that integrate the patient flow of Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein in São Paulo. For the data collection, an interview guided by semi-structured script, documentary research and observation was used. The interviews were submitted to the thematic content analysis, together with documents made available by the institution and the observation notes, respecting the ethical considerations recommended by Resolution 466/2012 of the National Health Council. From the triangulation of the data emerged four categories: "Lean implementation in the hospital environment: culture organization, senior management, internal support and industry involvement "; "Strategies adopted by hospital managers: tracing the path to continuous process improvement"; "The Hospital Manager's Look at the Lean Healthcare Methodology: Potentials and Fragilities." And "Lean Healthcare Methodology in the Hospital Context: Subjective Dimension." The results revealed that the managers, who are mostly nurses, understand the gains made by the industry with the Lean Methodology for the health sector in terms of process improvement, respecting the peculiarities of dealing with patients. Participants consider senior management's support for organizational culture to be key. This culture must be sustained by the engagement of integrated teams through the realization of training programs in the various sectors involved in the flow of the patient. To this end, internal support from engineers and other quality specialists is essential, directing the scope of improvement projects, supported by scientific evidence and positive experiences from other institutions, including international ones. The managers described management strategies adopted, which contribute to the patient and employees experiencing better experiences, and also acknowledged that the knowledge gained about Lean in the field of work, have an influence on their personal life. The findings of this research have an impact the production of knowledge regarding the subjective aspects of Lean's applicability to health. In addition, the innovative nature of the methodology contributes to the improvement of the processes in the context of health organizations, with emphasis on hospitals, given their characteristics and nature of work.