Ledarskap och relationer vid implementering av lean i sjukvården
en utveckling av yrkesidentiteten
The aim of this case study was to investigate the role of leadership and interpersonal relations among staff during implementation of lean at a University Hospital in Sweden. The 15 respondents were leaders and staff members from different wards and clinics, who had started working according to lean principles. One of the methods used was explorative, low structured interviews. Other methods used for gathering information about the case was attending lectures about lean healthcare at the hospital, part-taking in the lean game and reading articles about lean and the implementation in both daily press and on the intranet of the hospital. The results showed that an open and accessible leader that coaches his/her staff and supports their work, helps the staff to develop a lean identity. This is a new professional role that is characterized by incorporated lean thinking irrespective of the other professional role, such as nurse or doctor. Other factors that facilitate the development of this identity were non-hierarchical structures, good and continuous relationships between staff-members and between staff-members and leaders and continuous feedback about lean projects and results. The dynamic interaction between developing a lean identity and the facilitating factors contributes to a successful implementation of lean.