A hospital stroke team in St. Louis, Mo., used Toyota’s “lean” manufacturing principles to streamline care — treating patients 21 minutes faster than usual.
The team adopted the manufacturer’s assembly line approach, removing unnecessary or inefficient steps and adjusting others in the hospital’s stroke treatment process.
After streamlining care, 78 percent of stroke patients received treatment within one hour of arrival, which is more than twice the national average.
Quick treatment to dissolve a blood clot that causes a stroke can reduce the chance of severe brain injury.
Related Information:
The American Heart Association has more information about stroke, and stroke treatment.
