Using industrial processes to improve patient care

Radical thinking about the design of industrial processes over the last century has greatly improved the quality and efficiency of manufacturing and services. Similar methods to deliver higher quality health care at lower cost would be extremely valuable. In health care, however, we must also consider how patients feel about the processes and the extent to which they are able to exercise meaningful, informed choice. Although the potential of using industrial methods in health care has been discussed, their value is hotly debated. Some doubt that there is a valid analogue between industry and health care, while others see it as an excuse to force an overworked community to work even harder. We describe three established industrial approaches – lean thinking, theory of constraints, and six sigma, – and explore how the concepts underlying each might relate to health care.