Improving quality through value stream mapping: A case study of a physician's clinic

As organizations look to improve overall systems to reduce costs and improve throughput, lean principles are being more widely implemented. These lean initiatives began in manufacturing, but have spread through other parts of the economy, including health care. This paper reports on a value stream mapping project in a small medical clinic that resulted in recommendations that would significantly lower patient wait time and increase patient throughput. The new system can increase the capacity of the office without adding people or equipment, lower waiting times for people with scheduled appointments, increase the opportunity for patients without appointments to be seen at the last minute, and lower the stress levels for the clinic's staff.