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. 2020 Nov 25;17(23):8748.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph17238748.

An Enhanced Kaizen Event in a Sterile Processing Department of a Rural Hospital: A Case Study

Valentina Nino  1 , David Claudio  1 , Leonardo Valladares  1 , Sean Harris  2
Affiliations

An Enhanced Kaizen Event in a Sterile Processing Department of a Rural Hospital: A Case Study

Valentina Nino et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Operating Rooms (ORs) generate the largest revenues and losses in a hospital. Without the prompt supply of sterile surgical trays from the Sterile Processing Department (SPD), the OR would not be able to perform surgeries to its busy schedule. Nevertheless, little emphasis has been brought in the medical literature to research on surgical instrument processing in the medical literature. The present study was done applies an Enhanced Kaizen Event (EKE) in the SPD of a rural hospital to identify sources of waste and minimize non-value-added steps in the SPD processes. The EKE consisted of three successive Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycles, which focused on improvements at the departmental level first, then at an area level, and finally at the station level. The EKE yielded an improved streamlined workflow and a new design for the SPD layout, one of its areas, and a workstation. This paper aims at building a methodology, including identified steps. Results exhibited a 35% reduction in travel distance by the staff, eliminating non-value-added processes, reducing errors in the sterilization process, and eliminating cross-contamination for sterilized materials.

Keywords: case study; continuous process improvement; enhanced kaizen event; lean healthcare; sterile processing department.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Enhanced Kaizen Event: a single KE with sequential PDCA Cycles within the KE.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The PDCA Processes (extracted from Sobek and Smalley [34], page 20).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Sterile Processing Department (SPD) process flow chart.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Current State Value-Stream Mapping (VSM) of the SPD.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Carts going into the steam sterilizer: (a) Cart with one tray, (b) Cart at full capacity.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Current State SPD plant layout.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Spaghetti diagram of the current state.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Dirty and clean materials placed in the same area.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Handling of trash in the Decontamination area: (a) trash containers reducing workspace, (b) accumulation of trash.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Separation of activities by phase on SPD. Proposed layout #1.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Proposed layout #2.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Proposed layout #3.
Figure 13
Figure 13
After Kaizen Event (KE): (a) Workstation type 1, (b) Space in front of the steam machines.
Figure 14
Figure 14
Spaghetti diagram after all the changes were implemented.
Figure 15
Figure 15
SPD layout: (a) Before the Enhanced KE, (b) After the Enhanced KE.
Figure 16
Figure 16
Spaghetti diagrams: (a) Before the Enhanced KE, (b) After the Enhanced KE.
Figure 17
Figure 17
(a) Workstation Type 1, (b) and Workstation Type 2.
Figure 18
Figure 18
Employees adopting awkward positions before the KE.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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