Discussion of the attending-in-charge practice based on lean management

Introduced in the paper are key measures and characteristics of the attending in charge system, following the theory of lean management and under leadership of the department head of the hospital. Authors hold the practice as enhancing administrative functionality of the department head, avoiding disadvantages incurred by traditional attending in charge system, and upholding quality of care management, making it a worthwhile attempt for China's healthcare system. Key words: Attending in charge; Lean management; Quality of care; Department head