Use of 'Lean' Technologies in the Medical Examination of the Adult Population in the Ryazan Region

INTRODUCTION: The medical examination of the adult population is an important mechanism to preserve the labor potential of the country through the early detection of diseases and prevention of premature mortality. The active involvement of citizens in preventive measures and an increase in the availability of medical examinations are vectors in increasing the coverage of the population. One of the mechanisms for increasing availability is the use of "lean" technologies, which was realized in the Ryazan region as part of the project "Optimization of the Medical Examination Process". AIM: To evaluate the optimization of the medical examination of the adult population in the Ryazan region through the use of "lean" technologies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The project was implemented based on a multidisciplinary clinical hospital with high planned tasks for the coverage of the adult population indicated for medical examination. In the implementation of the project, problems in the organization of the medical examination of the adult population were identified, maps of the current state and the target state were compiled, solutions to each identified problem were proposed, and a 4-month schedule of measures was made. RESULTS: The evaluation of the effectiveness of the project "Optimization of the Medical Examination Process" using "lean" technologies reduced the patient stay in the clinic by 1.7 times in the first stage of the medical examination and reduced the duration of this stage from 5 to 1.5 days. In the second stage, the total patient stay in the clinic was reduced two times, and the duration of this stage was reduced from 8 to 2 days. The throughput capacity of the pre-medical reception room of the medical prevention department increased from 48 to 100 people per day with a two-shift working schedule, which permitted fulfilling the planned annual tasks for medical examination by 100.0%. CONCLUSION: The successful experience of the introduction of the "lean" production principles in the medical examination of the adult population demonstrated increased effectiveness and availability of preventive measures for the population in the region.