Sustainable patient flows at hospitals - a Multicenter Study
This is a Nordic multicenter study of tools and processes that may facilitate the development of more sustainable patient flows; i.e. flows considering both competitive performance and working conditions in a long-term perspective.
The multicenter study aims to validate and further develop the ErgoVSM intervention tool. The tool complements the established lean rationalization tool Value Stream Mapping (VSM) with dimensions for physical load and work content. The research relates to the fundamental issues in the production ergonomic intervention research that were previously presented in the review 鈥淥ccupational musculoskeletal and mental health: significance of rationalization and opportunities to create sustainable production systems - a systematic review鈥 (Westgaard & Winkel 2011).
The multicenter study includes projects with identical design at hospitals in Denmark and Iceland. The results are compared with the results obtained in a previous corresponding Swedish study.
Our department collaborates with the Technical University of Denmark, DTU Management and Iceland Bifr枚st University, the School of Business and the University of Iceland.
Project duration
The scientific reporting is expected to be completed by the end of 2021.
Extern funding
The multicenter study has received financial support from the Nordic Council of Ministers (# 11347)
A tool has now been developed: 鈥滶rgonomic Value Stream Mapping (ErgoVSM). Tool and User Guide鈥. Nordic Council of Ministers, ANP 2016:731, 36 pp., ISBN 978-92-893-4572-9 (PRINT), ISBN 978-92-893-4573-6 (PDF), 2016
Winkel J., Edwards K, Birgisd贸ttir Dr枚fn B, Gunnarsd贸ttir S. Facilitating and inhibiting factors in change processes based on the lean tool 鈥榲alue stream mapping鈥: an exploratory case study at hospital wards. International Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics. Int. J. Human Factors and Ergonomics, Vol. 3, Nos. 3/4, 2015, 291-302
In addition, several abstracts and presentations at international scientific meetings.