Lean (also referred to as the Toyota Production System, TPS) is considered to be a radical alternative to the traditional method of mass production and batching principles for maximising operational efficiency, quality, speed and cost. Many hospitals inspired from lean manufacturing to develop their process. They had many improvements in their process. Hospitals reduced their patient waiting times, defects, wastes related to inventory, staff movement and patient transportation by implementing. This study utilizes scientometric and bibliometric tools to analyze visually the literature published in the field of medical lean manufacturing from 2009 to 2023. The relevant articles published from 2009 to 2023 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection, VOSviewer and R software were used for bibliometric analysis and visualization. The number of publications related to the research has been increasing year by year before 2021, and then showed a downward trend, including 418 articles from 64 countries and regions, 743 institutions, 198 journals, and 1766 authors. The United States, Italy, and England are the main publishing countries in this research field. The journal “International Journal of Lean Six Sigma” published the most papers (n = 21) about lean manufacturing in medicine, the author with the most publications is Teeling SP, and the most influential author is Improta G. The top three keywords are “Healthcare”, “Quality improvement” and “Management”. This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of lean manufacturing in medicine, which can help researchers understand the current research hotspots in this field, explore potential research directions, and identify future development trends.

5G technology is transforming healthcare by enhancing precision, efficiency, and connectivity in diagnostics, treatments, and remote monitoring. Its integration with AI and IoT is set to revolutionize healthcare standards. This study aims to establish the state of the art in research on 5G technology and its impact on healthcare innovation. A systematic review of 79 papers from digital libraries such as IEEE Xplore, Scopus, Springer, ScienceDirect, and ResearchGate was conducted, covering publications from 2018 to 2024. Among the reviewed papers, China and India emerge as leaders in 5G health-related publications. Scopus, Springer Link, and IEEE Xplore house the majority of first-quartile (Q1) papers, whereas Science Direct and other sources show a higher proportion in the second quartile (Q2) and lower rankings. The predominance of Q1 papers in Scopus, Springer Link, and IEEE Xplore underscores these platforms’ influence and recognition, reflecting significant advancements in both practice and theory, and highlighting the expanding application of 5G technology in healthcare.

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the imperative of physical distancing has underscored the necessity for telemedicine solutions. Traditionally, telemedicine systems have operated synchronously, requiring scheduled appointments. This study introduces an innovative telemedicine system integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enable asynchronous communication between physicians and patients, eliminating the need for appointments and providing round-the-clock access from any location. The AI-Telemedicine system was developed utilizing Google Sheets and Google Forms. Patients can receive dietary recommendations from the AI acting as the physician and submit self-reports through the system. Physicians have access to patients’ submitted reports and can adjust AI settings to tailor recommendations accordingly. The AI-Telemedicine system for patients requiring daily dietary recommendations has been successfully developed, meeting all nine system requirements. System privacy and security are ensured through user account access controls within Google Sheets. This AI-Telemedicine system facilitates seamless communication between physicians and patients in situations requiring physical distancing, eliminating the need for appointments. Patients have round-the-clock access to the system, with AI serving as a physician surrogate whenever necessary. This system serves as a potential model for future telemedicine solutions.

This study develops an optimisation model to facilitate inter-facility medicine sharing in response to anticipated medicine shortages. These facilities include hospitals and medical representatives. We adopt the concept of collective response proposed in our study literature. The optimisation model is developed according to the real-world practices of inter-facility medicine sharing. We utilise case studies of particular healthcare networks to demonstrate the efficacy of the developed model. The efficacy encompasses the model’s application to real-world case studies, as well as its validity and reliability within a specific system. The results show that the developed model is able to determine which facilities should share the requested amount of medicines; and to reduce total lead times by at least one day compared to the ones obtained in the current practice. The model can be used as a decision-support tool for healthcare practitioners when responding to shortages. The study presents the managerial implications of medicine sharing at the network level and supports the development of collaboration amongst facilities in response to medicine shortages.

This article explores ethnomedicine or traditional medication written in palm-leaf manuscripts in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. Most of the manuscripts in Lombok are written on palm leaf or lontar. One genre of palm-leaf manuscripts is USADA or traditional medication. These USADA manuscripts, serving as guides for traditional healers (dukun and balian), contain valuable information on diseases, treatments, herbal remedies, and incantations. The study reveals that ethnomedicine remains a relevant and respected practice in Lombok, often considered on par with modern medicine. Many residents rely on traditional healers for healthcare, particularly for minor illnesses. The research also highlights the living nature of the manuscript tradition, with continued recitation, copying, and teaching of these texts to younger generations. However, challenges persist in preserving these manuscripts and promoting wider appreciation for this unique cultural heritage.