| Six Sigma methodologies aim at improving overall | | | | In the healthcare industry, the factors that |
| quality by eliminating defects and achieving near | | | | determine the quality and efficiency are usually |
| perfection by restricting the number of possible | | | | the flow of information and interaction between |
| defects to less than 3.4 defects per million. Six | | | | people. Six Sigma helps in streamlining the flow of |
| Sigma methodologies were originally developed for | | | | information and achieving strategic business |
| implementation in the manufacturing sector but | | | | results by initiating cultural shifts all throughout the |
| with time their use has spread to the services | | | | organization. 6-Sigma focuses on improving |
| sector as well. In the services sector, Six Sigma | | | | processes rather than just concentrating on the |
| concepts are used mainly for eliminating | | | | task, which helps in increasing the scope of |
| transactional errors. | | | | improvements. It provides the necessary tools |
| Today, the concepts and methodologies of | | | | and methodologies that help in analyzing and |
| 6-Sigma are increasingly being used in the | | | | transforming human performance, necessary for |
| healthcare industry for improving the quality of | | | | achieving significant long-term improvements. |
| services rendered, increasing efficiency, and | | | | Process |
| eliminating human errors that can often prove | | | | Six Sigma helps in defining a vision for the future, |
| fatal. However, the use of 6-Sigma in the | | | | identifying specific goals, and establishing |
| healthcare industry is a relatively new | | | | quantitative measures for turning that vision into |
| phenomenon as compared to other service | | | | reality. It helps in formulating goal plans and setting |
| industries that have undergone some type of | | | | timelines for moving from current performance |
| data-supported, systematic, quality-improvement | | | | levels to Six Sigma performance levels. The plans |
| process. With medical and technological | | | | are defined only after documenting their effects |
| advancements, the demand and expectations for | | | | on the organization's work processes' that may |
| improved medical care are continuously increasing. | | | | include flow of information, surgical site |
| However, due to lack of effective management | | | | procedures, handling patients, and others. |
| systems, inefficiency is increasing, which often | | | | The basic requirements for successfully |
| leads to congested emergency rooms, customer | | | | implementing Six Sigma programs are usually |
| complaints, and lost revenues. | | | | long-term vision, commitment, leadership, |
| Benefits | | | | management, and training. It is important to |
| Six Sigma concepts and methods enable a | | | | provide the requisite training to doctors, nurses, |
| healthcare organization to offer improved | | | | and the administrative staff for making them |
| healthcare services to patients by streamlining | | | | aware about the various concepts and |
| business processes. In the healthcare industry, the | | | | methodologies. The training may initially appear to |
| quality of services rendered depends a lot on | | | | be expensive, but is often worth the cost when |
| human skills, which is often very difficult to | | | | one considers the benefits such as improved |
| measure and control. 6-Sigma is effective as it is | | | | quality of services and increased efficiency. It is |
| based on a comprehensive approach that focuses | | | | necessary for employees working in a healthcare |
| on improving both human as well as transactional | | | | organization to develop an understanding about |
| aspects of a process. Although implementing Six | | | | the various Six Sigma concepts. This will help |
| Sigma concepts in the healthcare industry is a | | | | them in integrating new techniques into the Six |
| challenging task, it does help in getting quick | | | | Sigma processes for improving quality and |
| results. | | | | effectiveness. |