Background As resources grow tighter we must take care of the occupational wellbeing of personnel. Work strain may be diminished by eliminating unnecessary and ineffective process parts.

Purpose The objective for the simulation projects was to develop Hospital pharmacy’s processes by listening to and involving all occupational groups as well as by utilising the professional know-how of personnel. The objective was to increase medicinal safety, to remove non-value-adding work, to increase occupational well-being and to create a learning organisation.

Materials and Methods “Simulation game” is a tool for process development designed by the Helsinki University of Technology. The purpose of the game is to find bottle-necks and development opportunities. In a process simulation case studies are used to demonstrate the flow of information and materials. The method was applied in the development of dispensing unit’s and cytotoxic reconstitution unit’s processes. For both simulation days a real case was chosen in which the process had gone wrong and patient safety improvements were needed. After the case reports all the process phases were analysed and discussed as to how the work could be made more fluent and get rid of interruptions. A simulation day report was written where the actions agreed were documented. Feedback regarding the simulation day was collected from the participants.

Results Both days produced many development points and decisions on standardised work and best practices. Visible changes were accomplished during the simulation days. According to a survey performed amongst the participants, the implemented changes had had an effect on their work. The results of 2013 occupational wellbeing survey had developed positively for both the working ability as well as the overburden indexes compared to 2012: • working ability index 3,45- >3,68 • overburden index 2,75- >3,12.

 Conclusions Simulation method may be utilised diversely in the development of different functions for example as a starting point for change processes. Simulation method may act as an easy way towards implementing Lean-philosophy by involving and considering the know-how and input of the whole personnel in the flow of processes.