ABSTRACT
Lean is a quality improvement and management system that was originally refined in Japan. It has been applied in industry for many years and is now commonly used in healthcare in many countries. There is good evidence of the effectiveness of Lean in healthcare settings, and findings on impact are presented in this chapter. Lean implementations in healthcare do not always deliver as hoped, however, and the chapter explores the importance of context. The evidence discussed includes that senior leadership and clinical engagement are important and that there are other factors that can also increase the likelihood of success in Lean applications. The chapter discusses the contributions to the book that cover hospital (in-patient and out-patient) and community settings.
