Six Sigma Green Belt in Healthcare: Concepts, Benefits and Examples

Healthcare has become an industry that’s constantly evolving. New technologies emerge, regulations and policies change, and new players enter the market to challenge the existing ones. However, one thing hasn’t changed in this industry: there are always opportunities for improvement through Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training. Lean Six Sigma is a process used to eliminate waste from processes to reduce costs and increase reliability.

It works hand in hand with other tools such as Business Process Management (BPM) and Total Quality Management (TQM). Learning to implement Lean Six Sigma into your healthcare organization will help you streamline strategies, identify waste areas, implement cost reduction initiatives, and drive continuous quality improvement across your organization. This article covers everything you need to know about implementing Lean Six Sigma.

Six Sigma Green Belt in Healthcare - Benefits and Advantages  

Benefits 

Some of the greatest benefits of Six Sigma include: 

• Increased revenue 
• Reduced waste, errors, and costs 
• Improve patient satisfaction and quality 
• Lower operating costs 
• Improved patient care and satisfaction 
• More efficient use of resources and reduced risk exposure 

These benefits are extremely important in the healthcare industry. Improving quality and lowering costs can dramatically improve a hospital’s bottom line and enhance patient satisfaction, leading to increased referrals and more revenue for the facility. As such, it’s no wonder that Six Sigma is so popular in the healthcare industry. 

Advantages

Six Sigma can improve quality healthcare in the following ways:

• hospital and private practice wait times might be reduced 
• falls and injuries might be prevented
• medication errors might be prevented
• prescription execution might be enhanced 
• lab results might be delivered faster 

Healthcare professionals utilize the DMAIC method (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) to improve existing processes.

The check-in procedure at a hospital is an excellent example of how DMAIC might be implemented. It identifies problems with the process and sets goals, e.g., shorter wait times. The process map provides a detailed description of each step, e.g., updating records, reviewing insurance information, and obtaining co-pays. 

• To define the problems with the process and goals, e.g., shorter wait times, you first need to determine the issues. Then, you must create a process map detailing all steps, e.g., updating records, reviewing insurance information, and collecting co-pays.
• Measure what is happening now — identifying bottlenecks slowing down the process.
• Next, analyze the data collected from each step to see what might be eliminated or streamlined. Identify the root causes of bottlenecks. Analyze the data collected from each step to see what might be eliminated or streamlined.
• Finally, develop and test solutions to improve check-ins. Like during non-emergencies, if possible, to obtain the insurance information before the patient arrives or enhance the coordination between doctors and nurses.
• Control to ensure the new process stays on course by frequently monitoring and documenting each change. Create a control chart to see how well the new process performs over time. 

Six Sigma Green Belt Methodology – DMAIC  

The DMAIC method (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) is a framework that guides organizations on how to perform quality improvement projects. The framework comprises five phases used individually or in combination and supported by tools, six sigma methodologies, and standards.

• Motorola developed DMAIC in the late 1980s for use in manufacturing processes. Many industries have since adopted it, including healthcare and IT, for quality improvement projects within these sectors. In recent years, DMAIC has also been adopted as terminology for describing quality improvement projects in other fields such as software development. 
• It can help identify stakeholders, understand the problem space and its impact, quantify the problem, determine the root cause, evaluate solutions, and assess their impact before making a decision. 
• The Six Sigma Green Belt Methodology – DMAIC is a systematic problem-solving approach. This method is commonly used in Six Sigma projects because it requires completing each process step before moving on to the next. 

Six Sigma Green Belt in Healthcare Management 

Healthcare management is a field that involves the coordination of clinical services across multiple sites. Managers must thoroughly understand the field’s procedures and terminology to manage a healthcare organization successfully. In addition, they must be able to identify potential problems and implement solutions accordingly. Many organizations are moving towards using Six Sigma methods to improve productivity and quality.

By doing so, they can ensure that patients receive high-quality care while reducing costs. Six Sigma is a process improvement methodology that seeks to reduce variability and uncertainty in product or service delivery by improving the reliability of processes. It can be used to reduce costs in healthcare management by optimizing resources and processes. Healthcare managers can use Six Sigma techniques such as Lean production methods, Six Sigma Black Belts, and Value Stream Mapping to streamline the supply chain, cut waste, and improve customer experience. 

1. FMEA in Six Sigma healthcare management

• FMEA is a process used in Six Sigma healthcare management to evaluate the likelihood of a product or service failing before it is purchased. FMEA is an analysis tool that can help healthcare organizations identify potential weaknesses in their products and services by analyzing the risks of failure.
• FMEA is a type of Pareto chart that shows the most likely causes of a product failure. FMEA can be used to identify potential problems that may cause the product to fail and the possible solutions that will prevent this from happening.
• FMEA can be used to identify any problems with the product or service before it is released to customers. This allows the organization to fix any problems before they become larger issues. 
• FMEA can be used in many different areas of healthcare, including medical devices, drug development, and more. By using FMEA in these areas, organizations can prevent problems and ensure that their products are safe for customers. 

2. DFSS in Six Sigma healthcare management 

• Design for Six Sigma, otherwise known as DFSS, is a methodology of innovation used by companies to produce high-standard goods and services. With DFSS, the creation process is designed to take advantage of the company’s resources as much as possible, resulting in less redesigning and re-introduction of products. DFSS optimizes processes by ensuring that things are properly created the first time by decreasing defects.
• It results in less redesigning and re-introducing products multiple times, producing a lot of waste. The main objective of DFSS is to create items that are not negatively affected by defects or variations from the outset. The DFSS process includes the phases of Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, and Verify. Businesses must gather a lot of information and data to understand their clientele’s demands and anticipations fully. 

Six Sigma Green Belt in Healthcare Examples 

Healthcare is an industry that faces many challenges. Implementing best practices and tools to improve performance and reduce costs is necessary. A Green Belt in healthcare can help you do this by focusing on three key areas: quality, safety, and efficiency.

In healthcare, quality refers to the level of care patients receive. It includes the length of time they spend in the hospital, the medications they receive (if any), and their overall experience. A Green Belt in healthcare can help you provide patient satisfaction by ensuring processes are done correctly and consistently. 

How a procedure is performed is important to ensure the patient’s safety. A Green Belt in healthcare can help identify potential safety concerns so that those can be corrected before they lead to injuries. 

Efficiency refers to how much care a single person needs during an average day and how long people have to long wait for care when they need it. A Green Belt in healthcare can help you identify ways to streamline processes so more care can be provided with fewer resources, thereby increasing efficiency and reducing waste. 

Become a project management expert with our accredited project management online courses. Start your journey to success now!

The Effects of Six Sigma Green Belt in Healthcare  

KnowledgeHut Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training is an online course designed to educate healthcare professionals about the benefits of Lean Six Sigma. This six sigma green belt healthcare certification program is designed for individuals interested in improving productivity, reducing waste, and increasing quality across their organizations. Healthcare professionals, on successful completion of the six sigma training are awarded a Six Sigma Green Belt certificate. 

As a Six Sigma Green Belt, you will learn to apply Lean Six Sigma principles, tools and concepts to improve performance and customer satisfaction. You will also gain a deeper understanding of how Lean Six Sigma can be used to reduce waste and improve quality in your organization. By getting certified in the Six Sigma Green Belt, you will have the knowledge and skills to lead the way toward a more efficient and effective healthcare system. 

While there are many benefits to becoming a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt healthcare, it’s not essential for anyone looking to break into the industry. However, it is an excellent way for healthcare professionals to get started in the field or those looking to refresh their knowledge or skill set. 

Summary

Implementing Lean Six Sigma in your organization and acquiring six sigma certification is a great opportunity to drive cost reductions, improve quality. This creates an environment where employees are happy, engaged, and motivated. By implementing Lean Six Sigma, your organization can identify risk areas and implement strategies to reduce them. Lean Six Sigma is a proven methodology for cost reduction and quality improvement, and it’s a great way to drive change and make your organization more competitive.