Background Since 2009, the executive management of CHU Mont-Godinne has chosen to implement the LEAN methodology in our institution. Considering the multiple issues arising in our hospitals, a fundamental reorganisation of our processes and changing our behaviour is a matter of survival. Production accounts for about 30% of the work of the CHU Mont-Godinne hospital pharmacy. Constraints in a production facility are many: consistent quality, inventory management, delivery in time, productivity, teamwork.

Purpose To optimise resources using the LEAN tools.

Materials and Methods LEAN Tools

• The 5S Philosophy focuses on effective workplace organisation. The objective is to achieve higher goals and thus improve the work done. There are five primary 5S phases: sorting, straightening, systematic cleaning, standardising, and sustaining.

• ‘Spaghetti diagram’

  • Visual method

  •  to depict the information flow.

  •  to determine the physical flow and distance that information and people travel to process work.

• Standardisation of practise

  The process is filmed; a discussion takes place on this movie to define best practise.

  This best practise is written as a standard and constitutes a training tool. The standard process is regularly revised in the context of continual improvement. Training improves the versatility of assistants in production.

• Visual management

  Improved communication through the implementation of short meetings:

  What is the idea or problem? What is the action to perform? Who is responsible for it? When? Status?

Results We obtained an improvement in

• productivity: time required for preparation decreased, for example a 28% decrease for Tazocin 4 g diluted in glucose

• communication: two daily meetings

• standardisation of processes: 20 to 60%

• versatility of assistants in production: 10 to 40%

Conclusions Teamwork and standardisation of processes are now the keys elements to coping with the constraints of a production department of a hospital pharmacy and to obtaining continual quality improvement and optimising resources.

No conflict of interest.