ABSTRACT
The concept of developing the most efficient use of staff time and resources is integral to the design of the physical environment. When Lean processes are in place within the healthcare setting, patients benefit from quality physician time, improved safety, and fewer delays in receiving care. Operational planning is the foundation for functional design and the key to creating a well-designed, patient-centered environment. By investing in this process, participants work together within integrated design events (IDEs) to develop how the space and workflows are intended to function. Part of an IDE is determining where Lean design can be implemented, which depends on the organization’s appetite for change. Some organizations wish to rebrand and rethink their model of care, while others wish to address key inefficiencies yet keep many existing processes in place. The Smokey Point Medical Center still serves as a prototypical state-of-the-art ambulatory, urgent care, and multi-specialty clinic, designed to incorporate Lean principles from the ground up.
