SIX SIGMA

Six Sigma

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyze the Six Sigma DMAIC Cycle in healthcare for delivering enhanced services to patients. This study makes use of the operations management service tools, such as service blueprints and poka-yokes (mistake-proofing), as well as the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control) method of the Six Sigma (these concepts are explained in the paper) to define the failures of the process, reduce variability, improve the care process, and propose solutions.



Six Sigma

Introduction

The methodology of "Six Sigma" is a modern approach and very rigorous management of organizations whose purpose is to pursue excellence and is based on the logic of TQM and continuous improvement. In other words it is a system that measures a process in terms of defects (Schroeder, Richard A., 2006,). Its name comes from "Sigma", which is a symbol of the Greek used in the world of statistics to indicate the extent of the variance of a process that is the swing of a parameter than the average (standard deviation) and "six "which is the maximum level of quality attainable by applying this instrument (more sigma there are, in fact, and the process is more stable and therefore less subject to the variance). Six Sigma, therefore, indicates that there are six standard deviations.

A quality six sigma precision of the mean rates of 99.99966% convertible into not more than 3.4 defects per million of elements produced. Six Sigma is a methodology of problem solving more effectively to improve any area of business and any performance (Roger Hoerl, 2008). There is no industry in the world that cannot progress through the application of this methodology.

Literature Review

There are several quality improvement tools that can be implemented on hospitals to enhance the value of healthcare services. According to a survey conducted by the American College of Physician Executives, healthcare organizations are using a variety of quality improvement tools: 13.3% using Lean management, 18.5% are using Six Sigma, 26.7% other, including internally developed measures, 12.2% using propriety-vendor owned programs, 29.2% not using a tool. Six Sigma helps make data-informed decisions to improve patient safety, patient service, and patient care (QC Staff 2007).

In the paper author apply the Six Sigma method to propose improvements in the current healthcare delivery process (Spear, 2005). Many Fortune 500 companies have successfully utilized Six Sigma, an approach driven by data to improvement of performance. Six Sigma approach has been applied in various scenarios as well in the services of Healthcare: enhancing both business processes and patient care and outcomes at the Alton Memorial hospital (Chassin 2008).

Why Six Sigma

According to the normal distribution , only two parts per billion fall beyond a distance of six sigma from the central value, different from the 3.4 shares per million indicated by the method Six Sigma. In particular, this value corresponds to an interval of 4.5 sigma, thus providing a sigma deviation of 1.5. This deviation is introduced to take account of the approximations of the models, since it is often the ...