Lean on Hospitals

The five principles of “Lean thinking” are

1. Specify value from the standpoint of the end customer.

2. Identify all the steps in the value stream, eliminating every step that does

not create value.

3. Make the value-added steps occur in a tightly integrated sequence so work

flows smoothly.

4. Let customers pull value.

5. Pursue perfection through continuous improvement.

From: Marchwinski, Chet, and John Shook, ed. Lean Lexicon: 

A Graphical Glossary for Lean Thinkers.

(Brookline, MA: Lean Enterprise Institute: 2003), 5. in Lean Hospitals - Mark Graban