As SARS-2 containment and COVID19 treatment increase in importance – many global, regional and national systems are activating, cooperating and working towards solutions. The complexity begs for an application of Goldratt’s principles:

1. Pick a Goal.
2. Identify constraints between the current setting and your goal.
3. Remove the biggest known constraints.
4. Achieve Goal.

The Life Science’s tradition of “First, do no harm” is a noble and well established goal. Do not diminish the public’s health. The virus does diminish health, so stopping its spread (while doing “no harm”), becomes important, as does treating those who have contracted COVID19.

Developing Data

In The Goal, Alex notably never has to deal with an absence of data or a resistance to data development and usage. Alex also exists in a world where there is a strong sense of community and teamwork.

Neither exist clearly in the global response to the new Coronavirus. In the US now, testing capacity is limited. Globally, nations are releasing ‘test’ data that has come under question and faces skepticism.

Testing for Corona

If testing and data are crucial to developing a response to the disease, then that is the current constraint. Goldratt teaches to remove the constraint; testing must be addressed.

Testing is currently performed with the polymerase chain reaction (“PCR”) a method widely taught in high school and college biology classes that breaks, copies and then measures DNA for comparison. Specifically, a reverse transcriptase PCR is used, and there has even been success in using a chest CT scan as a diagnostic tool.

Conclusions

Testing for Corona is the first step in creating an appropriate response. There is a lack of testing equipment;

1. Create more testing equipment – reduce the constraint directly.
2. Identify bypasses to the constraint – such as using Chest CT scans, as has been shown to be predictive of positive diagnosis of Corona.