The Six Sigma methodology is becoming increasingly important across diverse industries, especially the healthcare sector. Lately, the healthcare sector has been experiencing significant advantages of the six sigma methods. With the healthcare practitioners, such as doctors and the management, gaining awareness regarding various issues that can adversely affect the quality of healthcare services being offered to the patients, they are pressing on using the Six Sigma methodology in healthcare for better results.
With the help of online Six Sigma Certification courses, you can gain the requisite knowledge to increase the operational efficiency of your organization. This article will help you with all the information you need regarding the role and benefits of Six Sigma in healthcare, along with certain examples.
The Role Of Six Sigma In Healthcare
The healthcare industry and all its stakeholders, such as the hospitals, medical centers for testing, care homes, etc., deal with a copious amount of patient data. Even a little error or misplacement in this data can cause great repercussions- putting patients' lives at risk. Therefore, it is important to make the processes and the workflow in the healthcare sector flawless.
The data-driven approach offered by Six Sigma for quality improvement in healthcare helps provide significant levels of rectification and advancement to the systems and processes in healthcare. In doing so, the DMAIC method plays a major role.
Understanding DMAIC
With the following five steps of DMAIC, Six Sigma healthcare enhances the quality of operations and procedures of working in the healthcare sector-
Defines
The first step is answering questions related to the goal that needs to be accomplished. The objectives are identified, and the customers' requirements, who in this scenario are the patients, is taken into consideration. Also, the processes to be measured or enhanced are carefully studied, and factors such as their capacities, shortcomings, areas of improvement, etc., are assessed.
Measure
By using metrics and statistics, the levels that would be considered sufficient is recognized. Generally, parameters such as service level, service cost, clinical excellence, and patient satisfaction are used to define the quality of a process in the healthcare sector. A benchmark to be achieved is set, and the methods using which it will be measured are also devised.
Analyze
The requisite data is collected and analyzed using the tools of Six Sigma, to see what characteristics or loopholes the processes are depicting.
Improve
Based on the collected and analyzed data, a plan is formulated to implement modifications to the process and witness a significant improvement in them.
Control
Merely initiating the improvement is not sufficient. Therefore, constant monitoring is conducted to maintain the levels of improvement.
Using the different techniques and tools offered by six Sigma, patient care can be improved to a reasonable level. We will read about many Six Sigma healthcare examples later that will show how six Sigma has improved patient care.
Six Sigma healthcare plays a major role in improving healthcare by reducing the number of errors made throughout multiple processes, such as managing patient appointments. On the other hand, lab turnaround times and patient outcomes improve considerably. The supply chain becomes a straightforward process, and in cases of insurance claims, reimbursement is offered to the concerned person quite quickly.
Six Sigma in Healthcare- Benefits, And Advantages
After the corporate and the business world, six Sigma has offered solutions for revolutionizing the healthcare industry as well. Some acclaimed benefits of lean six Sigma in healthcare are mentioned below.
1. Intercepting Mistakes
In the healthcare industry, minor data errors can considerably impact a patient's diagnosis and treatment procedure, eventually leading to serious health consequences. Lean six sigma measures multiple operational scenarios by taking into account empirical data.
Out of the possible scenarios, the best strategy is selected, which aligns the agents involved in healthcare, such as biological technology, infrastructure, medical practitioners, etc.
This helps minimize the errors- at its highest level, not more than 4 in a million observations! Intercepting mistakes highly affects the overall medical procedure and thus offers an advantage to the healthcare sector.
2. Facilitating Improvement in Patient Care
One of the six sigma methodology's most significant tenets is focusing on the customer's needs. In the case of the healthcare sector, the patients are the customers, and effectively adhering to their needs can enhance patient care.
Applying the lean Six Sigma healthcare methodology changes the perspective of the healthcare workers, who then start considering the patients as their customers, whose satisfaction is their utmost priority.
Some of the basic features that help the healthcare facilities in doing so include- 24x7 emergency facilities, easy appointments, wheelchair access, a clean atmosphere, etc. Six Sigma in healthcare lays stress on improving the pre-existing processes and resources and thus enhancing the quality of the healthcare services.
3. Increased Accessibility to Healthcare Services
By applying the six sigma methods to the processes, the healthcare sector makes services cheaper for the patients and accessible to a larger population. This is done by identifying and reducing waste to bring down expenditure.
Analyzing the operations in healthcare can identify actions and procedures which lead to wastage of money and do not add any value to the overall services.
For example, over-employment of unnecessary staff (such as in non-peak hours), purchasing health inventory in bulk, which is not much used, etc. Getting rid of the unwanted expenditure leads to more efficient healthcare, allowing the patients to avail of cheaper and more accessible healthcare.
4. Reducing the Lengths of Stay
When the Six Sigma methodology assists the healthcare providers in facilitating better patient care, their length of stay automatically decreases. This means the patient experiences significant improvement in health in lesser time, thus eliminating the need to stay for a longer time.
This accomplishes the goal of social responsibility for the healthcare facilities, in addition to fulfilling their business aim.
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Examples Of Six Sigma in Healthcare
We will now discuss some real-life applications and examples of Six Sigma in healthcare-
1. Valley Baptist Health System- Harlingen, Texas
This hospital reduced the time taken in the surgery cycle by using Six Sigma. This made the hospital capable of handling an additional 1,100 cases each year, which in turn increased the potential income of the hospital by $1.3 million annually!
2. Rapides Regional Medical Center- Alexandria, Louisiana
Using the six sigma methodology, this hospital could identify defects in its emergency care unit. As a result, the defects were reduced, which increased the savings for the hospital (up to $950,000 yearly) and reduced the time of waiting for the patients, which meant that more patients could be attended to.
The Women And Infants Hospital- Rhode Island h3
This hospital used Six Sigma healthcare to standardize its procedure for the transfer of embryos, which eventually heightened the implementation rate by 35%!
3. Kent Private Hospital- Turkey
A private hospital in Turkey could treat not more than 32 patients each day. However, they applied the six sigma methodology, which increased their patient treating capacity two-fold- to 64 patients a day! The most interesting thing- this was achieved without hiring any additional staff. It also led to a reduction in the patient waiting time while also boosting the profits.
4. Charleston Area Medical Center- Charleston
This hospital could optimize its surgical supply chain management by applying Six Sigma and save around $1 million! This is one of the most profitable Six Sigma healthcare examples ever!
How To Earn Certification in Lean Six Sigma Healthcare?
Earning a certification in lean six Sigma for healthcare has now become easier than ever! With the 6 Sigma Green Belt certification course offered by Knowledgehut, you can lead or be a part of improvement projects for your healthcare organization. With your experience and expertise, you can transform the organization by offering leadership to your colleagues.
With an undemanding online course, you can acquire the lean Six Sigma healthcare certification course at your home, without the need to commute anywhere to take leaves from your job. With the guidance of our expert trainers, and the chance to deal with real-life issues, you can easily attain the green belt certification in the comfort of your home. Learn more about the Knowledgehut Six Sigma certification courses today!
Bottom Line
Implementing lean Six Sigma healthcare project examples clearly reflects the benefits of six Sigma in healthcare. Start your course with Knowledgehut today, and get valuable insights on the benefits and applications of Six Sigma in the healthcare industry.
