How Six Sigma Can Be Applied to Healthcare

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How Six Sigma Can BeApplied to Healthcare
Presentation for the Quality Colloquium By
Roxanne OBrasky, president
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Setting the Table

• Appetizer Brief 6s introduction
• Main course Six 6s perspectives
• Widely applicable
• Including healthcare

• Dinner is prelude to dessert
• (Upcoming presentations, case studies)

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What is s?

• s represents variation
• Inherent everywhere
• Inconsistency
• Defects
• Lack of predictability

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What is 6s?

• Process-centered business management
• Data-driven, structured method
• Philosophy of evaluation improvement

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5 Steps of 6s

• D efine customer, business process
• M easure business-process performance
• A nalyze defects root causes
• I mprove using tech discipline
• C ontrol no backsliding

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6s From General to Bullseye

• Defects results from process inputs
• Breakthrough (not continuous) improvement
• 3.4 defects per million opportunities

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In Sum

• Flawed processes create business defects
• Data-driven method that reduces variation
• Goal Breakthrough levels of improvement

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Ways to View 6s

• Projects/Results
• Methodology
• Professionals
• Measurement
• Management System
• Culture

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6s as Projects/Results

• Save money
• Average savings 150k
• (2004 ISSSP benchmarking survey)

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HC Defect Opportunities

• Clinical errors
• Diagnosis treatment
• Lab timing errors
• Malpractice litigation
• Medication type, frequency, amount
• Operating room care carts
• Patient safety
• Take-home instructions

• Administrative errors
• Admission discharge
• Claim submission
• Coding
• Hiring, payroll
• Patient records
• Payables receivables
• Reporting compliance

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6s as Methodology

• Projects vary between industries

• But methodology remains the same
• DMAIC
• Project-management techniques
• Reporting methods

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6s is Flexible

• Used in diverse industries
• Manufacturing (to start)
• Service
• Transaction
• IT
• RD
• Healthcare (!!)
• Integrates other methodologies
• Lean
• Hoshin
• BPM
• TQM

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6s as Professionals

• Stratified by knowledge
• and expertise
• Yellow Belts Process members
• Green Belts Process owners
• Black Belts Process improvers
• Master Black Belts Process-improvement improvers

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6s as Measurement

• Data gathering interpretation
• Business activity represented as numbers
• Justifies validates
• Project selection
• Project results
• 6s as rational tool

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6s as Management Systems

• Foundation that supports change projects change
  professionals

• Includes
• Strategic planning/integration
• Finance
• Human resources
• Communications
• IT

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6s as Culture

• Little culture - unique in every company
• A 6s culture is marked by
• Shared belief systems
• Common language stories
• Buy-in from management
• Sameness across business areas
• Training learning

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Cultural Differences
A condiment consisting of a thick,
smooth-textured, spicy sauce usually made
from tomatoes. (Dictionary.com)
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Big 6s Culture

• Spans businesses industries
• Professionals share, learn, network
• Industry events (thanks to our hosts)
• 6s-specific events
• Benchmarking
• Ongoing comparison dialog
• ISSSPs Web-based tool

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To Recap6 Views of 6s

• Projects/results
• Methodology
• Professionals
• Measurement
• Management system
• Culture

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Putting it all Together
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Putting it all Together
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Summing it Up

• Q How can 6s be applied to healthcare?
• A The same as its applied elsewhere

Q What makes healthcare different? A Projects
and culture
Q How can it do that?
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Clearing the Table

• Appetizer 6s overview prepared us for main
  course
• Main course Structured understanding thru 6
  perspectives
• Dessert Upcoming presentations case studies
• Before that Any questions?

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And now
Lets have dessert