Single-Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) and Lean Healthcare

Abstract

Lean healthcare presents as a potential means to overcome barriers in the health sector by eliminating unnecessary movements, waiting, transport, and stockpiles. However, time spent in set-up activities does not add value to the process because the patient is not receiving service. One of the Lean tools that can help mitigate waste in those activities is the single-minute exchange of die (SMED); therefore, this study aims to evaluate the implications of using SMED in the health context. The authors conducted an exploratory search in scientific documents to achieve this goal. The content analysis was based on Bardin. From the findings, it is possible to identify the implications of the use of SMED in the health context, sort activities between internal and external setup, and reduce time spent on wasteful tasks, while increasing time available for value-adding activities.