Lean Six Sigma can be termed as a program of process improvement that incorporates two ideas which

While looking to enhance quality levels, a group of Motorola engineers designed a set of quality management tools that utilized statistical data as an approach toward the reduction of defects, and the improved maintenance of quality (Reddy & Hutton, 2013). Focusing on process improvement and variation reduction, Six Sigma uses a measurement-based strategy to improve quality, based on a systematic methodology known by its acronym - DMAIC (iSixSigma, 2012). Once problematic issues are recognized, the DMAIC model strives toward finding a long-term solution through the five phases of defining systems. By measuring key aspects of the current process for data collection, analyzing the collected data and verifying cause and effect relationships, improving current processes from data analysis, and controlling operations to prevent impact in any future process disruptions (Wallace & Webber,

Successful deployment of Lean Six Sigma is often considered a function of the inputs with those being shown below in figure 1.1. As the companies are evaluated keep in mind those critical X’s are often evaluated as the function Y = f(X) or Outputs = f(Inputs). In other words by controlling the inputs an organization can predict the output of the Lean Six Sigma implementation. This point is key when evaluating the difference between successful and not-so-successful implementations.

DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control) is a sub-methodology helps improvement of the existing processes. It is often necessary to iterate through the Measure-Analyze-Improve steps.

Six sigma is a quality management approach that places heightenedmanagerial attention on customer satisfaction and on seeking businessprocess improvements.

The other commonly used process to transform healthcare is Six Sigma. Six Sigma is a statistically-based method to reduce variation in processes, work flow and policies. It was originally created in 1986 by engineer Bill Smith for the company Motorola (Nicoletti, 2013). Six Sigma is a management strategy with the goal of reducing the amount of defects in production, offering error-free products 99.9997% of the

The Lean Six Sigma looks for ways on how to eliminate defects. In healthcare, a defect can be the difference between life and death. The Lean Six Sigma is used to improve patient safety by eliminating life-threatening errors. Lean Six Sigma uses a five-step approach to process improvement called the Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC). The DMAIC is an approach that is a data-driven quality strategy used to improve processes (ASQ, n.d.). The first phase, the define phase, is where the leaders would define the problem and begin to understand the needs of the customers. This is an important phase of the Lean Six Sigma because this is where the team would outline of their efforts for themselves and the leaders of the organization (goLEANSIXSIGMA.com,

Jay Greenstein (2012) published an article in a Leadership journal called "Process: Lean Six Sigma Principles." He took a problem and followed the DMAIC methodology step by step explaining what needs done in each step. According to Greenstein (2012) "The idea behind Six Sigma is that in any given business process, there are three to five key steps in that process that must be controlled to get the desired result" (p. 31). The author uses an analogy for this and discusses going out to eat at a favorite restaurant and ordering a favorite dish; the customer expects the same great meal every time, not a variation of the dish.

Successful Lean Six Sigma (LSS) deployments rely on the ability of a deployment to effectively apply Six Sigma DMAIC methodologies with the ability to concurrently apply Lean tools in order to drive Continuous Improvement into the culture of the business. Designing a Lean Six Sigma deployment to be an integrated model ties together the Six Sigma well structured approach with the Lean approach of matching quantity and quality to satisfy customers. Various companies have begun

The most popular example of which is the LEAN thinking and the Six Sigma concept. Six Sigma approach to improve quality has been used in many organizations since its inception at Motorola Corporation in the 1980s to measure and improve product and service quality. Six Sigma mainly focuses on defects that occur in million opportunities (Jayanta K. Bandyopadhyay, 2005). Six Sigma is heavily drawing attention from both private and government hospitals and health systems seeking a better approach to achieving long-term results whether financially or in terms of health safety and quality improvement. Six Sigma has been used to address many of the most common challenges faced by healthcare industry, including safety of patients, optimization of technology, market growth, apt resource utilization and the time up to which the program performs correctly with good outcome. In some instances, it is used to focus on a specific department or procedure, and in others, it is implemented on an enterprise-wide basis to achieve a cultural transformation (Pexton, February 26, 2010).

Lean Six Sigma is a methodology that creates processes within an organization to cut waste and improve the company’s performance. However, studies have shown that over the past decade applying Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma can create problems for companies financially and potential problems for employees. Companies should take great care before implementing a Lean Six Sigma solution because in some instances, going lean can do more harm than good both financially for the organization as well as destroying employee loyalty and moral.

• Six Sigma affords the avoidance of a “hit and miss” approach by breaking into measurable bites an entire chain of events leading to a problem, and then coming up with a corrective action (Roff, 2005, p. 1). According to Bateman and Snell (2009, p. 582), the acceptable failure rate is “99.99966 percent level of accuracy.” Although Six Sigma is a powerful control mechanism, it takes about 2-3 years from the time of implementation until its development is fully realized. It is a method that is most useful to a company when it is tailored specifically to a company’s processes.

For process optimization, the leading edge should properly be aligned with the people and process steps involved in the delivery of safe and cost-effective patient care, apart from technology. Lean and Six Sigma is the approach which are proven to be effective involves the implementation of technical strategies. Lean and Six Sigma strategies would use DMAIC methodology which can eliminate non-value added steps that cause delays, pinpoint root causes for defects and variability and remove inefficiency and redundancies that can undermine any organization’s best efforts.

The concept of Six Sigma was developed in the early 1980’s at Motorola Corporation (Harry and Schroeder, 2000). Six Sigma can be defined as a statistical measure of the performance of a process or product (Kumi et. al., 2006). It is used as a quality control mechanism, which seeks to reduce defects or variations in a process to 3.4 per million opportunities thereby optimizing output and increasing customer satisfaction (Sambhe, 2012). Sigma is representing the standard deviation, a unit of measurement that designates the distribution or spread about the mean of a process (Six Sigma Academy, 2002). In addition, the Six Sigma uniquely driven by close understanding of customer needs, disciplined use of fact, data, and statistical analysis, and diligent attention to managing improving, and reinventing business processes (Pande, P., et. al. 2000). The Six Sigma methodology uses statistical tools to identify the factors that matter most for improving the quality of processes and generating bottom-line results. The Six Sigma DMAIC (Define, Measure,

The Lean Six Sigma addresses the forms of waste in the growth of the hospital. Application of the basic lean principles in every

Six sigma is a methodology, discipline and a set of techniques used to improve a process by eliminating defects. In addition, it is also considered a management philosophy. The core of this philosophy is to develop future leaders and display strategies on how to conduct a business effectively. Six Sigma creates common language throughout an organization and serves as a method to transform culture. At its highest level possible, six sigma is there to improve both efficiency and effectiveness. Efficiency includes time, costs, and labor values; amounts of resources consumed, whereas effectiveness measures the degree to which the customer?s needs are met.