A Lean transportation approach for improving emergency medical operations

Abstract

This paper extends the approach of Lean transportation to improve the performance of emergency medical processes (EMP) by adapting its main concepts into the main characteristics of the EMP environment. The paper is based on an inductive theory-building process initiated from a case study in the field of emergency medical services. The development of the suggested performance improvement approach triggered from an exhaustive analysis of a process involved and an exploratory review of the existing improvement approaches available. The process of concern can be described as a specialized transportation process, where human lives are at risk. Its characteristics led to a natural application of Lean transportation. The results include, a novel approach for improving the agility and efficient EMS processes. This is validated with an application for improving ambulance response times and turnaround times of the Red Cross operations located in Monterrey, Mexico. The approach proved to be an integrated scheme for identifying waste opportunities at a systems level. This characteristic is important to let operations management prioritize improvement efforts in a limited budget situation. This work suggests the application of the emerging Lean transportation approach for increasing the agility performance of EMS processes.

Keywords:

• Emergency medical service
• Lean transportation
• transportation waste

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Bernardo Villarreal

Bernardo Villarreal is a full-time professor at the Department of Engineering, Universidad de Monterrey. He holds a PhD and an MSc in Industrial Engineering from SUNY, Buffalo. He has 20 years of professional experience in strategic planning in several Mexican companies. He has taught courses on industrial engineering and logistics at the Universidad de Monterrey, ITESM, and Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León for 20 y. He has made several publications in high impact journals such as Mathematical Programming, JOTA, JMMA, European Journal of Industrial Engineering, International Journal of Industrial Engineering, the Transportation Journal, and Production Planning & Control. He is currently a member of the IIE, INFORMS, POMS, and the Council of Logistics Management.

Jose Arturo Garza-Reyes

Jose Arturo Garza-Reyes is a Professor of Operations Management and Head of the Centre for Supply Chain Improvement at the University of Derby, U.K. He is actively involved in industrial projects, where he combines his knowledge, expertise, and industrial experience in operations management to help organisations achieve excellence in their internal functions and supply chains. As a leading academic, he has led and managed international research projects funded by the European Commission, British Academy, British Council, and Mexico’s National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT). He has published extensively in leading scientific journals and four books in the areas of operations management and innovation, manufacturing performance measurement, and quality management systems. He is a Co-founder and current Editor of the International Journal of Supply Chain and Operations Resilience (Inderscience), Associate Editor of the International Journal of Production and Operations Management, Associate Editor of the Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, and Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Industrial Engineering and Operations Management. Professor Garza-Reyes has also led and guest edited special issues for Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, International Journal of Lean Six Sigma, International Journal of Lean Enterprise Research, International Journal of Engineering Management and Economics, and International Journal of Engineering and Technology Innovation. Areas of expertise and interest for Professor Garza-Reyes include general aspects of operations and manufacturing management, business excellence, quality improvement, and performance measurement. He is a Chartered Engineer (CEng), a certified Six Sigma-Green Belt, and has over eight years of industrial experience working as Production Manager, Production Engineer, and Operations Manager for several international and local companies in both the U.K and Mexico. He is also a fellow member of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and a member of the Institution of Engineering Technology (MIET).

Edgar Granda-Gutiérrez

Edgar Granda-Gutiérrez is a full-time professor of the Department of Engineering at the Universidad de Monterrey. He holds a PhD of Industrial Engineering from ITESM. He has 18 years of professional experience in logistics, operations, and supply chain in several Mexican companies. He has taught courses on industrial engineering and logistics in the Universidad de Monterrey, ITESM, UMIN, and Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León for five years. As a consultant, he conducted projects on logistics and supply chain for different companies in México.

Vikas Kumar

Vikas Kumar is a professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management at Bristol Business School, University of the West of England (UWE), U.K. He holds a PhD degree in Management Studies from Exeter Business School, U.K, and a Bachelor of Technology (first class distinction) degree in Metallurgy and Material Science engineering from NIFFT, India. He has published more than 150 articles in leading International journals and International conferences including the International Journal of Production Research, International Journal of Production Economics, Expert System with Applications, TQM & Business Excellence, Computers & Industrial Engineering, and Production Planning & Control. He serves on the editorial board of six international journals and is co-founder and editor of the International Journal of Supply Chain and Operations Resilience (Inderscience). Professor Kumar has also guest edited special issues for a number of journals including Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, International Journal of Lean Six Sigma, International Journal of Lean Enterprise Research, Production Planning & Control, and Journal of Information Technology. His current research interests include sustainability, supply chain management, operational excellence, process modelling, and service operations.

Samantha Lankenau-Delgado

Samantha Lankenau-Delgado is a CUM LAUDE Industrial Engineer graduated from Universidad de Monterrey (UDEM). She is currently a graduate student at the Master Degree program in Supply Chain Management. Her specialty is strategic planning and the operations and logistics improvement. She has participated on several projects, such as The Redesign of the Supply Process of Drugs on a Medical Center and the Improvement of the routing operations of a soft drink bottling firm. Currently, she works at FEMSA S.A. de C.V., developing operation strategies for improving quality and productivity. Samantha is a member of the IISE, ASQ, and APICS Societies.