Application of lean management in medical laboratories to help treat patients with acute stroke

Abstract This study investigated the application effect of lean management in the treatment of acute stroke in medical laboratories and evaluated the impact on laboratory turnaround time (TAT) and operator satisfaction. In this study, 287 patients with acute stroke were selected from the Second Peop...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Nuoya Ma, Xiaofang Ding, Xudong Tang, Zhenzhu Xia, Qi Guo, Yan Yang, Kun Yan, Guoying Zou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12955-y
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849766485430370304
author Nuoya Ma
Xiaofang Ding
Xudong Tang
Zhenzhu Xia
Qi Guo
Yan Yang
Kun Yan
Guoying Zou
author_facet Nuoya Ma
Xiaofang Ding
Xudong Tang
Zhenzhu Xia
Qi Guo
Yan Yang
Kun Yan
Guoying Zou
author_sort Nuoya Ma
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This study investigated the application effect of lean management in the treatment of acute stroke in medical laboratories and evaluated the impact on laboratory turnaround time (TAT) and operator satisfaction. In this study, 287 patients with acute stroke were selected from the Second People’s Hospital of Hunan Province and divided into a control group (129 cases, before lean management) and an experimental group (158 cases, after lean management). Lean management measures included establishing fast transfer channels, information management, optimisation of the centrifuge configuration, priority management, personnel training, use of the 6 S method, and visual management to optimise the process. The effects of lean management were evaluated by comparing the TAT of key inspection items using an operator satisfaction questionnaire. Lean management shortened the TAT for coagulation (21–18 min) and biochemical (33–29 min) tests (P = 0.000). Laboratory operators reported that lean management positively affects the overall performance of the laboratory. The application of lean management in medical laboratories can effectively improve the treatment efficiency of patients with acute stroke, shorten the TAT of key detection items, and provide high satisfaction among laboratory personnel.
format Article
id doaj-art-b28f0311330e4e8ebaeb6b8e3d2407d0
institution DOAJ
issn 2045-2322
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj-art-b28f0311330e4e8ebaeb6b8e3d2407d02025-08-20T03:04:34ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111210.1038/s41598-025-12955-yApplication of lean management in medical laboratories to help treat patients with acute strokeNuoya Ma0Xiaofang Ding1Xudong Tang2Zhenzhu Xia3Qi Guo4Yan Yang5Kun Yan6Guoying Zou7Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second People’s Hospital of Hunan Province (Brain Hospital of Hunan Province), The Second People’s Hospital of Hunan Province (Brain Hospital of Hunan Province)Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second People’s Hospital of Hunan Province (Brain Hospital of Hunan Province), The Second People’s Hospital of Hunan Province (Brain Hospital of Hunan Province)Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second People’s Hospital of Hunan Province (Brain Hospital of Hunan Province), The Second People’s Hospital of Hunan Province (Brain Hospital of Hunan Province)Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second People’s Hospital of Hunan Province (Brain Hospital of Hunan Province), The Second People’s Hospital of Hunan Province (Brain Hospital of Hunan Province)Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second People’s Hospital of Hunan Province (Brain Hospital of Hunan Province), The Second People’s Hospital of Hunan Province (Brain Hospital of Hunan Province)Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second People’s Hospital of Hunan Province (Brain Hospital of Hunan Province), The Second People’s Hospital of Hunan Province (Brain Hospital of Hunan Province)Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second People’s Hospital of Hunan Province (Brain Hospital of Hunan Province), The Second People’s Hospital of Hunan Province (Brain Hospital of Hunan Province)Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Second People’s Hospital of Hunan Province (Brain Hospital of Hunan Province), The Second People’s Hospital of Hunan Province (Brain Hospital of Hunan Province)Abstract This study investigated the application effect of lean management in the treatment of acute stroke in medical laboratories and evaluated the impact on laboratory turnaround time (TAT) and operator satisfaction. In this study, 287 patients with acute stroke were selected from the Second People’s Hospital of Hunan Province and divided into a control group (129 cases, before lean management) and an experimental group (158 cases, after lean management). Lean management measures included establishing fast transfer channels, information management, optimisation of the centrifuge configuration, priority management, personnel training, use of the 6 S method, and visual management to optimise the process. The effects of lean management were evaluated by comparing the TAT of key inspection items using an operator satisfaction questionnaire. Lean management shortened the TAT for coagulation (21–18 min) and biochemical (33–29 min) tests (P = 0.000). Laboratory operators reported that lean management positively affects the overall performance of the laboratory. The application of lean management in medical laboratories can effectively improve the treatment efficiency of patients with acute stroke, shorten the TAT of key detection items, and provide high satisfaction among laboratory personnel.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12955-yLean managementMedical laboratoryAcute strokeLaboratory turnaround timeSatisfaction survey
spellingShingle Nuoya Ma
Xiaofang Ding
Xudong Tang
Zhenzhu Xia
Qi Guo
Yan Yang
Kun Yan
Guoying Zou
Application of lean management in medical laboratories to help treat patients with acute stroke
Scientific Reports
Lean management
Medical laboratory
Acute stroke
Laboratory turnaround time
Satisfaction survey
title Application of lean management in medical laboratories to help treat patients with acute stroke
title_full Application of lean management in medical laboratories to help treat patients with acute stroke
title_fullStr Application of lean management in medical laboratories to help treat patients with acute stroke
title_full_unstemmed Application of lean management in medical laboratories to help treat patients with acute stroke
title_short Application of lean management in medical laboratories to help treat patients with acute stroke
title_sort application of lean management in medical laboratories to help treat patients with acute stroke
topic Lean management
Medical laboratory
Acute stroke
Laboratory turnaround time
Satisfaction survey
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12955-y
work_keys_str_mv AT nuoyama applicationofleanmanagementinmedicallaboratoriestohelptreatpatientswithacutestroke
AT xiaofangding applicationofleanmanagementinmedicallaboratoriestohelptreatpatientswithacutestroke
AT xudongtang applicationofleanmanagementinmedicallaboratoriestohelptreatpatientswithacutestroke
AT zhenzhuxia applicationofleanmanagementinmedicallaboratoriestohelptreatpatientswithacutestroke
AT qiguo applicationofleanmanagementinmedicallaboratoriestohelptreatpatientswithacutestroke
AT yanyang applicationofleanmanagementinmedicallaboratoriestohelptreatpatientswithacutestroke
AT kunyan applicationofleanmanagementinmedicallaboratoriestohelptreatpatientswithacutestroke
AT guoyingzou applicationofleanmanagementinmedicallaboratoriestohelptreatpatientswithacutestroke