| If ever there were an industry where we want | | | | creating a learning organization through its |
| zero defects, it's healthcare. Patients, medical | | | | well-defined road maps and management |
| professionals, and healthcare administrators all | | | | structure. Six Sigma defines a vision for the |
| want mistakes eliminated and quality and | | | | future of the healthcare organization, and then it |
| efficiency improved. Although most industries | | | | identifies specific goals and establishes quantitative |
| have undergone some type of data-supported, | | | | measures to turn that vision into reality. A formal |
| systematic, quality-improvement process, | | | | plan is established to identify the overall program |
| healthcare still has not. Medical and technological | | | | goals and timeline that outline the move from |
| advances continue to outpace process and | | | | current performance levels to Six Sigma |
| education adjustments. Demand and expectations | | | | performance levels, with tangible, short-term goals |
| for medical care are increasing. Inefficiency also | | | | in between. Specific Six Sigma projects are |
| leads to(causes, brings about, etc.) overcrowded | | | | identified and goals defined and tied to a tangible |
| emergency rooms, customer complaints, and lost | | | | organizational performance measure. A wealth of |
| revenues. | | | | possible Six Sigma projects within healthcare |
| Six Sigma allows a healthcare organization to | | | | includes, for example, information flow, surgical |
| break through the status quo and achieve real | | | | site procedures, patient handling, and patient |
| process improvement. Although Six Sigma has its | | | | charge items. Any process in healthcare is a |
| roots in manufacturing, it works just as | | | | candidate for a Six Sigma project. |
| effectively in a service industry such as | | | | To successfully implement a Six Sigma program |
| healthcare. Healthcare organizations face unique | | | | requires long-term vision, commitment, leadership, |
| challenges and it's no secret that they have a | | | | management, and training. What makes Six Sigma |
| harder time applying quality improvement | | | | successful is well-chosen training and a |
| methods. Six Sigma's comprehensive approach | | | | commitment from the top that is communicated |
| means that its methodology can be successful in | | | | to all levels of the organization. Financially, the first |
| healthcare organizations with quick results. | | | | set of projects usually justifies the entire cost of |
| In a healthcare organization, the critical factors in | | | | Six Sigma training. Focusing the Six Sigma tools on |
| quality and efficiency are flow of information and | | | | virtually any properly scoped project will drive |
| interaction between people. Transforming the | | | | savings to the bottom line and achieve |
| process of this flow yields quality results. Six | | | | breakthrough change in the healthcare |
| Sigma achieves documented bottom-line strategic | | | | organization. |
| business results by initiating an organization-wide | | | | Experienced healthcare quality management should |
| culture shift. Until a process focus-rather than a | | | | learn the language of Six Sigma and help integrate |
| task focus-is developed, the scope and endurance | | | | new methods into the Six Sigma process to |
| of improvements will be limited. Analyzing and | | | | improve effectiveness. Six Sigma is a proven |
| modifying human performance in these | | | | approach to reduce defects and waste, thus |
| environments is complex, but Six Sigma provides | | | | saving money. Six Sigma will help healthcare |
| the tools and methodology required to achieve | | | | organizations just as it has industrial, service, retail, |
| significant long-term improvements. | | | | and financial organizations. |
| The Six Sigma process is a large step toward | | | | |