Lean and/or Six Sigma for process optimization in the perioperative period: an integrative review.
Lucas Gardim, Fernanda Rodrigues Dos Santos, Bruna Moreno Dias and 3 others
PMID 38896715WHAT IT FOUND
Lean or Six Sigma projects in surgery settings reported shorter waits, faster room turnover, fewer delays and shorter stays, but evidence came from ten varied studies and did not prove one method works.
Key findings
01Lean or Six Sigma projects reported shorter stays, faster operating room changeover and fewer delays.
02Some included studies could not conclude that perioperative processes were optimized.
03No included study received a full yes score on methodological quality.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The review included only ten articles, so the evidence base is small. The included studies used different designs and reported different process measures. The review analysed the studies descriptively rather than combining them into one result. None of the included studies received a full yes score on methodological quality. Some studies recorded that it cannot be said processes were optimized. The review may not have considered the specificities of each operative period.
Declared interests
The article is tagged as supported by a non-U.S. government; no author conflict-of-interest declaration is given.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the reported reductions in waiting time, turnover or length of stay as proof that Lean or Six Sigma improves perioperative care. The review included ten studies of different designs, and some studies could not conclude that processes were optimized.