title: The role of the clinical laboratory in the future of health care: lean microbiology.
abstract: This commentary will introduce lean concepts into the clinical microbiology laboratory. The practice of lean in the clinical microbiology laboratory can remove waste, increase efficiency, and reduce costs. Lean, Six Sigma, and other such management initiatives are useful tools and can provide dividends but must be accompanied by organizational leadership commitment to sustaining the lean culture in the laboratory setting and providing resources and time to work through the process.
authors.affiliation: Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Linoj
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Samuel
authors.affiliation: Southern California Permanente Medical Group, North Hollywood, California, USA susan.m.novak@kp.org.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Novak-Weekley
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008828:Microbiological Techniques / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*