Lean Healthcare: evaluation of Single-Minute Exchange of Die and Toyota Kata applied in Brazilian Emergency Care Units

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the implementation of the Single-Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) methodology based on the Toyota Kata concept in the context of emergency care units. The research methodology involved a literature review, data collection, and analysis of critical tasks in the processes of arranging hospital beds for occupancy and vacating beds. The study identified time-consuming activities and proposed interventions based on SMED principles to reduce waste and improve efficiency. The results highlighted the importance of efficient communication between nurses and the cleaning team, the parallel execution of tasks by multiple individuals, and the installation of auxiliary structures to facilitate movement and reduce travel time. The research framework provided a roadmap for implementing SMED and demonstrated its potential for optimizing health processes in emergency care units. Further research is suggested to evaluate other internal processes and analyze the overall scenario to achieve comprehensive improvements in Brazilian emergency care units. The integration of SMED and lean healthcare tools proves to be a necessary advancement in the health sector, aligning customer expectations with technological innovations and addressing new demands in the field of healthcare.