An application of Lean Six Sigma in a hospital

Healthcare today faces major challenges. Patients demand quality of care to be improved continuously. Insurance companies demand the lowest possible prices. Lean Six Sigma is a tool that can help healthcare providers to achieve these at least partly conflicting goals. Lean Six Sigma is an integration of Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing, both quality improvement programs originating from industry. Lean and Six Sigma appear to be highly complementary. Six Sigma provides an integrated quality improvement approach that increases quality by reducing defects and costs. Lean adds tools that increases process throughput. In healthcare faster means rapid access and no waiting times, while reducing defects means less complications. Increasing speed and reducing defects both lead to lower costs. Hence Lean Six Sigma is an excellent tool to tackle present-day healthcare challenges.