In general, it was shown that the Value Stream Mapping is an ideal tool to expose the waste in a
value stream and to identify tools for improvement. It was also illustrated that lean manufacturing tools can greatly reduce wastes identified by the current state map. The development of the future
state map is not the end of a set of value stream activities. It should be stressed that the value stream
should be revisited until the future becomes the present. The idea is to keep the cycle going because
if sources of waste are reduced during a cycle, other wastes are uncovered in the next cycle. Lean
manufacturing can thus be adapted in any manufacturing situations albeit to varying degrees. The
results achieved in the proposed plan showed significant improvements in the overall performance
of the ED, which allowed it to be more productive, flexible, smooth and with high quality service.
These improvements include reducing the lead time of the service at ED from 193 sec to 153 sec
(20.7%), which increased the patients served (capacity) from 48 to 72 (50%), reducing idle time
from 201600 sec to 129600 sec (36%) and increasing utilized time from 230400 sec to 302400 sec
(31%). Finally, it is concluded that an improvement in Capacity, Idle time and Utilized time has
been achieved as a result of implementing lean manufacturing principles