LEAN SIX SIGMA : A METHODICAL APPROACH TO IMPROVING SURGICAL PATIENT HEALTHCARE

Lean Six Sigma(LSS) is the combination of Lean and Six Sigma methodologies, both of which are meant to increase productivity without sacrificing a good’s quality. Whereas Lean focuses on improving product flow and eliminating waste, Six Sigma emphasizes decreasing variability in production. Combining both Lean and Six Sigma is more beneficial than using one technique over the other, as each method’s strength compensates for what the other method is lacking. Lean Six Sigma results in an ideal process that combines the streamlining of Lean with the standardization of Six Sigma. The LSS approach was initially used in manufacturing, but has more recently had applications in the health care industry. Lean Six Sigma’s particular application in modifying the patient care procedures throughout the preoperative, operative, and post-operative process has minimized patient’s duration of stay in hospital, infection rate, and overall costs. Lean Six Sigma is a versatile process that adjusts hospital protocol based on specific issues identified by hospital staff. Recently, the healthcare industry has adopted LSS as the cost of the country’s healthcare system is being scrutinized. LSS was specifically selected because it minimizes costs while still prioritizing the quality of patient care. When implemented in hospitals, Lean Six Sigma has had large impacts. If executed correctly, this technique will ultimately improve both the patient’s wellbeing and the economy. Utilizing LSS can reduce a country’s healthcare spending and promote economic sustainability, as the millions of dollars saved can be allocated elsewhere. Key Words—Hospital performance, Lean Six Sigma, Minimizing hospital expenses, Optimization, Patient care AN OVERVIEW OF LEAN SIX SIGMA AND ITS USE IN HOSPITALS Lean Six Sigma is a quality management technique employed by engineers to maximize resources and reduce costs while still valuing the quality of the good, product, or service. Lean Six Sigma(LSS) developed as a result of combining the separate quality management techniques of Lean and Six Sigma. In using Lean and Six Sigma individually, engineers recognized that the two separate processes had major faults. However, if the two techniques were combined, they compensated for each other’s weaknesses. Resulting from the combination of these two methodologies was a process that focuses on streamlining, standardizing quality, and considering the consumer’s perspective. Lean Six Sigma can be implemented in any industry, but has recently been introduced to the healthcare industry. Lean Six Sigma’s particular application in modifying the patient care procedures throughout the preoperative, operative, and post-operative process has minimized patient’s duration of stay in hospital, infection rate, and overall costs. Today, implementing Lean Six Sigma in hospitals can be beneficial to hospitals, patients, and the general public. James Harrington, an engineer and author of multiple books on quality improvement, reported that annually two million patients in the United States get an infection while hospitalized. Of those two million people, 87,600 of them die as a result of the infection [1]. Additionally, according to the Public Broadcasting Station, healthcare costs account for 17.6 percent of the United States GDP, which is much higher than any other country [2]. These are alarming statistics that need to be immediately addressed. Implementing Lean Six Sigma has the potential to decrease the cost of healthcare, along with increasing the overall quality of patient care, which includes decreasing surgical patient infection rate. THE INTEGRATION OF LEAN AND SIX