Optimization of the chemotherapy process in small animals based on lean manufacturing principles

• Grant number: 15/16123-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2015
• End date: September 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Julia Maria Matera
• Grantee: Jaqueline Yaeko Hanassaka
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The progressive increase in life expectancy of small animals raised the incidence of neoplasms, due to the factor that this disease is more common in elderly animals. Chemotherapy is crucial to these sick animals and could be used as an adjuvant treatment with surgery and radiotherapy or as a single therapy. However, the steps that these patients should go through before getting the medicine increases the waiting time, jeopardizing both the work of the hospital staff as the clients. In this project, we aim to explore how the lean manufacturing philosophy created by Toyota Motor Company can reduce the time that the patient spends on the day of the chemotherapy treatment and increase the number of animals that the hospital can attend daily.