title: [Improving a hospital's supply chain through lean management].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Supply management is an area where hospitals have significant opportunities for improvement. The main objective of this paper has been to analyze how the application of Lean principles can improve logistics costs and user satisfaction. In connection with satisfaction, it also aimed to examine which aspects of the service define it and check for differences between different groups of users.
  
  
  METHODS
  The results of an experience to reorganize the hospital logistic system based on some Lean principles have been studied. This is therefore a case study, which combine different methods of data collection. The logistics cost calculation was carried out using the full costing method. To measure satisfaction of healthcare personnel, the internal logistics service users, an anonymous survey was conducted. Processing of the data obtained from the survey have included exploratory analysis, factor analysis and ANOVAs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The data have showed an improvement in logistics management after the implementation of Lean principles. Logistics costs were reduced and the satisfaction level of the internal users with the new logistics system was increased. Some differences in the degree of satisfaction by different groups of users were also detected, although they did not seem to distinguish between different aspects of logistic service.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The analyzed experience shows the applicability and suitability of Lean principles to improve logistics operational costs and increase user satisfaction.
authors.affiliation: Grupo de investigación GIDEAO, Departamento de Economía Financiera y Dirección de Operaciones, Facultad de Turismo y Finanzas, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, España. Electronic address: victorg@us.es.
authors.forename: V G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Aguilar-Escobar
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Garrido-Vega
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Godino-Gallego
mesh_terms: D002495:Central Supply, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards*; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D006801:Humans; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Costes y análisis de costes; Costs and cost analysis; Gestión Lean; Hospital supply; Lean management; Logistics; Logística; Personal satisfaction; Satisfacción del personal; Suministro y distribución; Suministros de hospitales; Supply and distribution