Clinical Importance
- Small volume parenteral (SVP) medications are batch-processed once daily at a 900+ bed academic medical center
- Labels are printed 36 hours before medications are due and prepared and delivered for a 24-hour period
- Therapy changes, discontinuations or patient transfers lead to increased rework, missing doses, and ultimately waste
- Lean methodology was originally developed as a production philosophy and quality
- system with an emphasis on problem solving, partnership, and process improvement1-3
- The Lean philosophy emphasizes the continual identification and elimination of waste in order to maximize value1
- Lean has been used in healthcare with great success4-5