ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at value stream mapping (VSM) for healthcare. Value stream mapping is a key tool used in Lean. A value stream is the value and non-value-added flows and processes required to deliver a good or service from the supplier to the customer. VSM was originally developed as a visual tool for representing the current and future states of material and information flows in a manufacturing environment with the aim of identifying and eliminating delays and waste. A simplified VSM of patient and information flow for a surgical patient is shown in Figure 26.1.
