In order to determine where there is waste, the Lean system recommends taking a waste walk. The table below lists the types of waste that were discussed on the previous page and questions that you might ask as your team proceeds through a waste walk. You will probably not be able to get rid of all waste, but you can continually find ways to reduce it.
Waste Category
| Questions
|
Defect correction
| Are you fixing errors in paperwork? Are you unable to process items because of illegible handwriting, errors, or other causes? |
Overproduction
| Is the laboratory producing more reports than needed? Is the laboratory printing, faxing, copying, and/or e-mailing more than is necessary? Are more tests or services being ordered or performed than required by the customer (eg, clinical staff) or for the patient? |
Excess motion
| Are you frequently searching for paper documents in cabinets and drawers? Are you regularly hand-carrying paperwork from one laboratory area to another, or one department to another? |
Excess movement of materials
| Do you constantly need to locate and move a piece of equipment? Do you have temporary locations for supplies and equipment? |
Waiting
| Is there too much dependency on others to complete a task before you can begin a task? Are there delays in receiving information? Do patients wait for long periods of time before receiving care? |
Inventory
| Are files piling up? Is the laboratory purchasing excessive supplies of any kind? Are there obsolete items in the laboratory, eg, files, equipment, supplies, reagents? |
Excess processing
| Is the laboratory duplicating reports or information? Are you doing more work than is required for a particular process? Does the laboratory have unnecessary levels of authorization and approval? |