The article aims to present the method of managing changes in healthcare organizations using Lean Management. The author focuses on change processes in hospitals.Effective change management in medical entities depends not only on internal management processes, but also on flexible adaptation of activities to the changing external environment. New medical technologies, changing health exposures, demographic and epidemiological changes force changes in the management of medical facilities. Therefore, lean management can be particularly useful in healthcare organizations. The main directions of managing changes in the functioning of healthcare organizations should be: reducing the time of access to health services by designing effective implementation of pre-health activities; focus on patient expectations and fulfillment of obligations towards medical service payers. In addition, striving for good communication between patients and medical staff by providing information at every stage of treatment.

 

Lean Management allows you to change the activities of individual organizational parts in order to form current recommendations directly and indirectly involved in the provision of medical services. Attention to proper technological preparation allows, on the other hand, to avoid repetition of medical services.

Remember, however, about the risks associated with Lean Management. These may include: lowering the quality of services and circumventing legal provisions, increasing employee stress and reducing motivation to work, excessive rationalization of employment, and neglecting the problems of employees with lower qualifications.

 

The article leads to the conclusion that Lean Management should be a way of thinking, not uncritical action in the process of managing changes in healthcare organizations.

 

Key words: Lean management, Change management, Healthcare organizations