Objective

To describe the use of Lean in urology at Zuckerberg San Francisco General, a community safety-net and trauma hospital that serves as a major teaching site for the University of California San Francisco.

Methods

We examined our process improvement activities from 2016 to 2018. Our Lean Daily Management System (DMS) includes a 15-minute team huddle ("urology Lean work") of service residents, faculty, clinic and operating room nursing staff, and anesthesia liaisons. Our DMS also includes a 5-minute preoperative huddle. Besides team-building, urology Lean work surfaces logistics, safety or equipment improvement ideas, and ensures progress and completion of initiated projects.

Results

Over a 2-year period we developed and completed 67 projects. Projects impacted the outpatient setting (57%), followed by the operating room (22%), the Urology service (12%), and inpatient setting (9%). We completed projects in the following domains: safety (26%), quality (22%), care experience (21%), workforce care and development (13%), equity (11%), and financial stewardship (7%). Urology Lean work reduced new patient clinic access time (119-21 days) and Bacillus Calmette-Guérin in clinic treatment time (180-105 minutes). The average proportion of urology on-time surgeries was better than the overall surgery on-time surgeries (71% v 61%).

Conclusion

Urology Lean work successfully applied DMS in a service specific yet holistic approach. Urology Lean work improved resident engagement in quality and safety endeavors and served as a DMS model throughout perioperative and clinic areas.