Exploring the adoption of Lean principles in medical laboratory industry: Empirical evidences from Namibia

Purpose As the demand for efficiency and quality in the healthcare industry has increased over the past few years, adoption of Lean principles and tools in the medical laboratory industry has become increasingly crucial. This study explores the level of adoption, barriers, and enablers of Lean principles and tools in the Namibian medical laboratory industry. Design/methodology/approach A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out to examine the level of usage, barriers and enablers, and impact of Lean tools, and to suggest appropriate strategies for adopting Lean in the Namibian medical laboratory services. Findings Research findings reveal that Lean tools are moderately implemented in most of the laboratories. Standard operating procedures, root cause analysis, overall equipment effectiveness, and visual management are the important Lean tools used in the industry. Results of the survey also show that Lean tools had a positive impact on operational performance, employee motivation, turnaround time...