The Importance of Efficiency in Emergency Services

Oct 13, 2025 by windailys.com 133 views

Improving Quality in Emergency Services through the Lean Hospital Approach at Sari Mutiara Lubuk Pakam Hospital in 2017

The Importance of Efficiency in Emergency Services

In the context of health services, efficiency is not only about cost savings, but also related to the quality and speed of the services provided. Patients who come to the emergency room need fast and appropriate treatment to avoid more serious risks. The quality of emergency services is a critical factor in determining the overall health outcomes of patients. Inefficient emergency services can lead to delays in treatment, increased patient mortality rates, and decreased patient satisfaction. Therefore, it is essential for hospitals to prioritize efficiency in their emergency services.

Sari Mutiara Lubuk Pakam Hospital, like many other hospitals, faces challenges in providing efficient emergency services. The hospital's data shows that the ratio of activities that add value to activities that do not provide added value is less than 30%. This indicates a significant amount of waste in the hospital's emergency services, which needs to be addressed immediately. The elimination of waste and the increase of added value in every service activity are the primary goals of the Lean Hospital approach.

Lean Method in Improving Quality

The Lean Hospital approach is a management system that focuses on the elimination of waste and the increase of added value in every service activity. This approach is based on the principles of the Toyota Production System, which emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement and the elimination of waste. The Lean Hospital approach has been widely adopted in healthcare settings, including emergency departments, to improve the quality and efficiency of services.

This study uses a qualitative approach with the action research method to evaluate the management of emergency services in accordance with the principle of Lean Hospital. The data collection process is carried out through purposive sampling, where informants are carefully chosen to get in-depth insights about the practices in the field. The analysis shows that waste in service is influenced by human factors, methods, machines, and the environment.

Findings and Proposed Improvements

From the analysis conducted, several adverse forms of waste were found, including:

Long waiting time: Patients who come to the emergency room often experience long waiting times, which can lead to delays in treatment and decreased patient satisfaction.
Nurses' errors in taking medical devices: Nurses' errors in taking medical devices can lead to delays in treatment and decreased patient safety.
The absence of doctors in the emergency room: The absence of doctors in the emergency room can lead to delays in treatment and decreased patient safety.

In the proposed improvement using the lean approach, the results showed an increase in service quality. Some improvements made include:

Decrease in the patient's waiting time: With the optimization of the patient's flow and reduction of unnecessary steps, the patient's waiting time at the emergency room was successfully minimized.
Reducing errors in taking medical devices: With training and clear operational standards, errors in the use of medical devices by nurses can be minimized.
Availability of doctors in IGD: Increased communication and scheduling doctors allow better medical staff availability.

Management Commitment for Lean Implementation

From the results of the study, it is recommended to the management and directors of Sari Mutiara Lubuk Pakam Hospital to commit to implementing the principles of Lean consistently. The formation of a special team for program monitoring and evaluation is very important to ensure the sustainability of improvement in service. With these steps, it is expected that the quality of emergency services at Sari Mutiara Hospital can improve significantly, providing more benefits for people in need.

Conclusion

The application of the Lean Hospital approach at Sari Mutiara Lubuk Pakam Hospital shows great potential in increasing the efficiency and quality of emergency services. By reducing waste and increasing added value, hospitals can be better in meeting the needs of patients and ensuring their safety. The proposed improvement steps must continue to be monitored and evaluated to ensure sustainable results.

Recommendations for Future Research

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the application of the Lean Hospital approach in improving the quality of emergency services at Sari Mutiara Lubuk Pakam Hospital. However, there are several areas that require further research, including:

The impact of Lean Hospital on patient outcomes: Further research is needed to evaluate the impact of Lean Hospital on patient outcomes, including mortality rates, length of stay, and patient satisfaction.
The sustainability of Lean Hospital implementation: Further research is needed to evaluate the sustainability of Lean Hospital implementation and the factors that influence its success.
The transferability of Lean Hospital to other healthcare settings: Further research is needed to evaluate the transferability of Lean Hospital to other healthcare settings, including primary care and specialty care.

By addressing these areas, future research can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the application of Lean Hospital in improving the quality of emergency services and its potential to improve patient outcomes.
Q&A: Improving Quality in Emergency Services through the Lean Hospital Approach

Q: What is the Lean Hospital approach?

A: The Lean Hospital approach is a management system that focuses on the elimination of waste and the increase of added value in every service activity. This approach is based on the principles of the Toyota Production System, which emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement and the elimination of waste.

Q: Why is efficiency in emergency services important?

A: Efficiency in emergency services is important because patients who come to the emergency room need fast and appropriate treatment to avoid more serious risks. Inefficient emergency services can lead to delays in treatment, increased patient mortality rates, and decreased patient satisfaction.

Q: What are the benefits of implementing the Lean Hospital approach in emergency services?

A: The benefits of implementing the Lean Hospital approach in emergency services include:

Reduced waiting times: By optimizing patient flow and reducing unnecessary steps, waiting times can be minimized.
Improved patient safety: By reducing errors in taking medical devices and increasing the availability of doctors, patient safety can be improved.
Increased patient satisfaction: By providing fast and appropriate treatment, patient satisfaction can be increased.

Q: How can hospitals implement the Lean Hospital approach?

A: Hospitals can implement the Lean Hospital approach by:

Conducting a thorough analysis of their emergency services: Identifying areas of waste and inefficiency.
Developing a plan to eliminate waste and increase added value: Implementing changes to improve patient flow, reduce errors, and increase the availability of doctors.
Monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the changes: Continuously improving the emergency services to ensure sustainable results.

Q: What role does management commitment play in implementing the Lean Hospital approach?

A: Management commitment is crucial in implementing the Lean Hospital approach. Without a commitment to change, the implementation of the Lean Hospital approach will not be successful. Management must be willing to make changes and support the implementation of the Lean Hospital approach.

Q: How can hospitals ensure the sustainability of the Lean Hospital approach?

A: Hospitals can ensure the sustainability of the Lean Hospital approach by:

Continuously monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the changes: Identifying areas for improvement and making changes as needed.
Providing ongoing training and education: Ensuring that staff are aware of the changes and are able to implement them effectively.
Encouraging a culture of continuous improvement: Encouraging staff to identify areas for improvement and make changes to improve the emergency services.

Q: What are the challenges of implementing the Lean Hospital approach?

A: The challenges of implementing the Lean Hospital approach include:

Resistance to change: Staff may be resistant to changes to their workflow and may need to be educated on the benefits of the Lean Hospital approach.
Lack of resources: Hospitals may not have the resources to implement the Lean Hospital approach, including funding and staff.
Difficulty in measuring the effectiveness of the changes: Hospitals may struggle to measure the effectiveness of the changes and may need to develop new metrics to evaluate the success of the Lean Hospital approach.

Q: What are the future directions for the Lean Hospital approach?

A: The future directions for the Lean Hospital approach include:

Expanding the application of the Lean Hospital approach to other areas of the hospital: Implementing the Lean Hospital approach in other areas of the hospital, such as primary care and specialty care.
Developing new metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of the changes: Developing new metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of the changes and to measure the success of the Lean Hospital approach.
Continuously improving the emergency services: Continuously improving the emergency services to ensure sustainable results and to meet the changing needs of patients.