Nadia Bhuiyan, Professor, Department of Mechanical, Industrial, and Aerospace Engineering, works with aerospace firms to research the application of lean manufacturing principles in product development. However, when her mother was diagnosed with cancer, Professor Bhuiyan found herself navigating the complexities of a new system—in-hospital cancer treatment.
From this experience came new inspiration and Professor Bhuiyan began an experiment with the Segal Cancer Centre at the Jewish General Hospital to apply lean manufacturing principles in the healthcare context. The results of Professor Bhuiyan's analysis showed that small changes in the hospital's processes could reduce wait times for cancer patients by 44%. This impressive finding was widely reported in print as well as on CJAD radio and CTV news in Montreal.