Lean Principles Lead to Faster Stroke Treatment

These principles have now been applied to stroke care, with astounding results. Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis recently released the results of a 3-year 200-patient study in which the average time between patients arriving and patients receiving the clot-buster tPA dropped by 21 minutes!

National guidelines suggest that door to drug times be less than 60 minutes. By applying lean principles -- such as eliminating inefficient patient transportation and performing tasks simultaneously -- door to drug times were reduced from 60 minutes to 39 minutes. These are amazing results, because time is of the essence in treating strokes, and the sooner stroke is treated, the less damage the brain suffers.

The hospital got everyone involved in the process, from the paramedics in the field, to admitting clerks, nurses and treating physicians. They streamlined the stroke treatment process, and added staff at strategic times, so that multiple interventions could occur at the same time.

The details of this encouraging new study can be read by Clicking Here.