Even in mainstream lean literature, attention to sociotechnical
aspects is recent [12] and adjusting these insights to
health care takes time. At the same time, sociotechnical
systems theory can provide a framework for those who want
to improve health care delivery [22]. This requires a substantial
shift of mind, especially at the managerial level.
Successful sociotechnical improvement requires managers to
realize their job is not to improve care processes. That is the
role of the professionals actually working in care processes.
A manager’s role is to improve and develop his or her own
workforce. A manager’s most important task is to create an
environment where interaction between team members leads
to a level of performance that can not be achieved by individual
team members alone [12, 30]