Swedish healthcare is in continuous need of cost savings and efficiency improvements in order to meet the increased demand for care. The theories of lean, developed from the industry, are applied more frequently on healthcare systems to increase effectiveness and reduce waiting times in patient processes. However, some processes seem to be more successful in their lean implementation than others. In this thesis, factors influencing flow efficiency in lean healthcare are examined. Through interviews with the top executive board at Capio St Göran's hospital, data is collected in order to analyze reasons for success.

The leadership within healthcare is a constantly discussed subject. The discussion today is evolving around the physicians' lack of strive towards becoming managers within healthcare organizations. Furthermore the leadership that the nurse practice when becoming manager is on the other hand not discussed. The purpose of this study is to describe important factors of the leadership the nurse practice upon physicians in a healthcare organization as well as to explain why that is. To fulfill this purpose, we have used a qualitative case study research design including a private Swedish healthcare company.

BACKGROUND: A telephone nurse is a nurse that during most of its working time is engaged in healthcare advice via the telephone. The advent of the telephone healthcare advice has probably meant that individuals, who initially wouldn?t have sought help, if they needed to meet healthcare providers face to face, now actually have the confidence to turn to healthcare. For telephone healthcare advice is professional care to identify, assess and advise on individuals? reactions to actual or potential health problems.

During 2001-2002 a prototype, IMIS (Integrated Mobile Information System) was developed at BTH (Blekinge University of Technology) to demonstrate how mobile IT-systems can be used in healthcare. The prototype was based on the activity theory of Engeström. An ongoing project started in spring 2003. The purpose of the project is further development of IMIS with special focus in the diabetes healthcare. Participants in the project are scientists and students at BTH, ALMI Företagspartner, Blekinge FoU-enhet, Barndiabetesförbundet Blekinge, Blekinge Diabetesförening, Vårdcentralen Ronneby and Vårdcentralen Sölvesborg.

Den övergripande avsikten med denna uppsats är att försöka ge en nyanserad bild av organisationsreceptet Lean Production. Vidare försöker jag utröna vilka potentiella vinster och risker som kan tänkas uppträda i samband med implementeringen av Lean Healthcare på Universitetssjukhuset i Lund. Utgångspunkten för denna analys är Region Skånes verksamhetsmål gällande personal, patienter och ekonomi. Analysen visar att det inte är helt okontroversiellt eller oproblematiskt att anpassa och införa produktionssystemet. Allvarligast verkar konsekvenserna kunna bli för tillgodoseendet av personalmålen, medan det ser mindre problematiskt ut gällande de ekonomiska målen och patientmålen.

Cancer was the second most common cause of death in Sweden in 2011. As the number of beds in hospitals decreases, numerous severely ill patients receive care at home. This results in family members performing important parts of the caring process. The aim of this study was to describe the caregivers' support needs from healthcare professionals when caring for an adult relative with cancer. A literature review was performed, in which results from empirical studies were reviewed and summarized.

Background: The numbers of crime towards women are increasing in our society. It is the medical caregiver?s responsibility to take care of these women when they are seeking help post assault. The caregiver?s task is to provide good care and performe a forensic evidence examination.

During 2001-2002 a prototype, IMIS (Integrated Mobile Information System) was developed at BTH (Blekinge University of Technology) to demonstrate how mobile IT-systems can be used in healthcare. The prototype was based on the activity theory of Engeström. An ongoing project started in spring 2003. The purpose of the project is further development of IMIS with special focus in the diabetes healthcare. Participants in the project are scientists and students at BTH, ALMI Företagspartner, Blekinge FoU-enhet, Barndiabetesförbundet Blekinge, Blekinge Diabetesförening, Vårdcentralen Ronneby and Vårdcentralen Sölvesborg.

The purpose of this thesis is to discuss how an instrument originally developed for measuring changes toward lean thinking inservice organizations in general should be adjusted in order to be of use in service organizations within the healthcare sector, andin hospital organizations in specific. The adjustments are suggested based on difficulties specifically arising when implementinglean within the healthcare sector.Thesis starting point is a pre-existing lean assessment instrument developed for service organizations in general. The thesis appliesa qualitative method and integrates literature from the health care sector and lean production movement with the expertise of tenacademics and practitioners in order to find difficulties associated with the implementation of lean within the healthcare sector.These difficulties then lie as the substratum for the adjustments suggested to be made on the instrument.The thesis finds that lean, as a philosophy, does not differ between service organizations in general and service organizationswithin healthcare settings. However, due to deficits in the general understanding of lean some adaptions on the instrument mustbe made. First, some words associated with production must be changed to words associated with healthcare.

In the year of 2009 the conditions for managing primary healthcare in the region of Västra Götalandchanged. The decision was taken by the regional assembly and resulted in that the citizens since thenhave had the opportunity to choose which health care provider they preferto stay with. Along with thisdecision a new market for private health careproviders was established, which resulted inincreasedcompetition between the providers.In order to manage the competition, the health care providers arenow forced to be more efficient in their operations andalso to beeven more focused on their patients.Backa Läkarhusgruppen is an example of a private healthcare provider in the region of Västra Götaland.In the same way it is also an example of anorganizationin need of analysing their operations to seehowit can be further optimized to meet patient needs and expectations.The aim of this study is to analyse Backa Läkarhusgruppen?s organization and its operationsin the hopeoffinding suggestions whichwill improve the patient flow.To allocate and solve the problems thatBacka Läkarhus suffer from,an approach inspired by Lean Healthcare is used throughout the report.Some of themost significant problems that were identified within the organization are:?The synchronization of demand and capacity is inadequate.?Absence of standardized routines.?Absence of present leadership.To be able to improve the patient flow Backa Läkarhus needs to handle these identified problem areas.By synchronizing the staffing level in relation to the trends in demand a reduction in the patient?swaiting times and throughput time will be possible. Creating clear responsibilities and routines for thestaff will contribute to a higher degree of patient focus and thus lead to a more efficient patient flow.

Senior citizens require a healthy oral cavity and healthy teeth in order to eat, speak and preserve their well-being. With age we know that the incidence and prevalence of diseases and symptoms originating from the oral cavity are more common compared to younger age groups. Senior citizens are the fastest growing population on earth, thus the need of healthcare providers with knowledge and skills in oral healthcare are in great demand.  The purpose of this thesis is to identify oral healthcare interventions and educational interventions which have been shown to improve oral health of residents over 65 years of age.  A literature review was conducted in which 15 scientific articles were scrutinized. Databases used were PubMed, Cinahl and Scopus. The results imply that good oral healthcare not only improve the oral health of senior citizens, but also prevents the occurrence of other diseases such as pneumonia and  improve the overall quality of life.

The role of Art in Healthcare and its requirements through a study of Diagnostic Center (DC), a Hospital with Art and Architecture integrated.Issues: Who selected Art for DC and on what foundations? How are Art and Architecture integrated, and what is the established knowledge of Art in Healthcare?Studies of reference material, theses, research articles and interviews. Hermeneutic and discourse analyses were used.Theorists: Barthes, Bourdieu, Foucault, Arnheim, Sjögren, Rasmussen.Results: A regional group selected local Art, mainly nonfigurative, and integrated it early in the architectural process. A stimulating non-traditional hospital environment with a modern design and two artists created work specifically for the environment.Art affects our Health and Caring Sciences is a scientific field that is studying how art affects patients and staff. It is relatively new but it is growing into a vast field of research, learning more about Art's effect on Health..

Background: In Sweden the healthcare has moved from the homes to the hospitals, as the system has developed. Parents were not allowed to visit their children when they were hospitalised in the past. It was noticed in the beginning of the 20th century that it might be harmful for the children to be left without parents at the hospital. Today it is considered a fact that the parents should stay with their hospitalised children and the healthcare is based on a family-centered care. Aim: The aim of this literature study was to elucidate parents experience when having hospitalised children.

Today significant resources are provided to improve the digital work environment within the Swedish healthcare to create efficiency, good work environment and patient safety. Despite this, major flaws are shown by the lack of communication between the eHealthcare systems. This becomes a stress factor among healthcare professionals because of increased administration and decreased physical contact with patients. The purpose of this study is to create a understanding of the concept of interoperability at different levels in the eHealthcare systems. This has been conducted through a qualitative interview study at a healthcare center where the respondents have been describing their digital work environment and the way it works today.

IN THIS THESIS WE EXAMINE LEAN IN HEALTHCARE, IN PARTICULAR WE LOOK AT THE PERCEIVED CHANGES BY THE PEOPLE WORKING IN THE PROCESS AS WELL AS THE ONES WORKING WITH MORE ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS. WE ALSO ASK OURSELVES IF THESE CHANGES ARE SUSTAINABLE. OUR STUDY IS DONE ON THREE CLINICS (LOCATED IN SÖDERTÄLJE, LANDSKRONA AND MALMÖ). THE STUDY IS PERFORMED THROUGH DEEP-INTERVIEWS WITH A FEW KEY PEOPLE IN THE DIFFERENT CLINICS. FURTHER A SURVEY IS SUBMITTED TO EACH OF THE THREE CLINICS TO GET A BROADER INSIGHT OF THE PERSONNEL'S VIEW ON THE CHANGES.