ABSTRACT
The process viewpoint is the golden thread that runs through the Lean Thinking principles. Patients seek out Health Care because they are worried about their physical or mental health. Basic to Health Care is the pre-supposition that an abnormal or at-risk physical or mental state(s) or condition(s) may underlie a patient’s concerns. The work of Health Care is the step-by-step identification of the abnormal or at-risk physical or mental state(s) and condition(s) and their transformation into a valued health outcome. In industrial terms, the abnormal or at-risk physical or mental state(s) and condition(s) are the raw materials that have to be transformed into a valued health outcome.
