Sustained Reduction in Intravenous Pump Turnaround Time Using Lean Methodology

Abstract

Introduction: Intravenous pumps provide essential, life-sustaining medications to patients. Pumps must be in working order and available on short notice to be effective. We identified inefficiencies in our pump management process that inflated the cost and time to complete repairs. Methods: Our multidisciplinary team completed a 60-day before-after trial that followed the Toyota Production System Lean methodology and evaluated the sustainability of our improvements for the following 48 months. We used value stream mapping and manual time studies to identify areas for improvement. Device turnaround time (TAT) was the number of days from receiving a device for repair to its return to service. Interventions included: establishing a reliable system to receive and track repair requests, creating a better organized, more efficient workroom, streamlining the inventory of repair parts, and tracking delivery systems reliably. Results: We reduced mean intravenous pump TAT by 89% and sustained TAT at 74%–97% below baseline for 4 years, including during the COVID pandemic. Conclusions: We used Lean methodology to create a system to receive, track, and provide safe, functional equipment to providers promptly. Both clinical and nonclinical healthcare professionals can use Lean to produce a sustainable improved system.