Lean Six Sigma

About: Lean Six Sigma is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1919 publications have been published within this topic receiving 29142 citations.

Lean Six-Sigma: The Means to Healing an Ailing NHS?

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to examine England’s Accident and Emergency (A&E) arm of the National Health Service (NHS). It considers the positive impact that Lean has had and Six-Sigma can have in A&E departments to improve the quality and reliability of the service offered, in an area that is facing performance challenges.,Independent variables average monthly temperature data (degrees Celsius) obtained from the Met Office and weekly A&E data, patient volume is analysed alongside the dependent variable, the percentage of patients seen in 4 h or less.,The model produced a robust positive impact when Lean Six-Sigma is adopted, increasing the likelihood of A&E dependents meeting their performance objective to see and treat patients in 4 h or less.,Further variables such as staffing levels, A&E admission type should be considered in future studies. Additionally, it would add further clarity to analyse hospitals and trusts individually, to gauge which are struggling.,Should the NHS further its understanding and adoption of Lean Six-Sigma, it is believed this could have significant improvements in productivity, patient care and cost reduction.,Productivity improvements will allow the NHS to do more with an equal amount of funding, therefore improving capacity and patient care.,Through observing A&E and its ability to treat patients in a timely fashion it is clear the NHS is struggling to meet its performance objectives, the recommendation of Six-Sigma in A&E should improve the reliability and quality of care offered to patients.

Lean Six Sigma Redesign of a Process for Healthcare Mandatory Education in Basic Life Support-A Pilot Study.

Abstract: Healthcare staff are required to undertake mandatory training programs to ensure they maintain key clinical competencies. This study was conducted in a private hospital in Ireland, where the processes for accessing mandatory training were found to be highly complex and non-user friendly, resulting in missed training opportunities, specific training license expiration, and underutilized training slots which resulted in lost time for both the trainers and trainees. A pilot study was undertaken to review the process for accessing mandatory training with a focus on the mandatory training program of Basic Life Support (BLS). This was chosen due to its importance in patient resuscitation and its requirement in the hospital achieving Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation. A pre- and post-team-based intervention design was used with Lean Six Sigma (LSS) methodology employed to redesign the process of booking, scheduling, and delivery of BLS training leading to staff individual BLS certification for a period of two years. The redesign of the BLS training program resulted in a new blended delivery method, and the initiation of a pilot project led to a 50% increase in the volume of BLS classes and a time saving of 154 h 30 min for staff and 48 h 14 min for BLS instructors. The success of the BLS process access pilot has functioned as a platform for the redesign of other mandatory education programs and will be of interest to hospitals with mandatory training requirements that are already facing healthcare challenges and demands on staff time.

Lean Six Sigma Approach to Implement a Femur Fracture Care Pathway at “San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d’Aragona” University Hospital

Abstract: Timeliness in the treatment of fracture of the femur, through surgery, is crucial in the elderly patient as it reduces the risk of mortality and disability. Here we propose a Lean Six Sigma (LSS) approach to reduce the preoperative length of stay for patients with femur fracture. Through the LSS, a tailored Diagnostic Therapeutic Assistance Path (DTAP) for these has been implemented and monitored over time. In particular, through the analysis, based on the application of the DMAIC cycle conducted on data extrapolated from the information system of the “San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d’Aragona” University Hospital of Salerno, the new DTAP was designed and implemented. After the introduction of the DTAP, a significant reduction in the average length of hospital stay was observed, with a preoperative length of stay within 48 h in 65% cases (compared to the previous 9%). In particular, the most significant reduction (over 55%) is obtained for patients aged over 65 years old. Such a result reflects not only the improvement in the care process but it is also compliant with the guidelines of the Italian Ministry of Health, as reported in the New Guarantee System for monitoring the quality of care.

The implementation of Lean Six Sigma framework in the Indian context: a review and suggestions for future research

Abstract: PurposeThe purpose of this work is to gain insights about Lean Six Sigma (LSS) in the Indian context by reviewing the related literature for one decade based on various perspectives, such as author profile, year of publication, type of firm, type of methodology used, type of industry for which the research work is carried out and the key findings from the research.Design/methodology/approachThis study reviews the research related to LSS from the articles published in the reputed journals. The literature used for reviewing is derived from the sources, including Science direct, Google scholar, IEEE, Taylor and Francis Group, Emerald Insight, Springer, Inderscience and Elsevier during the period between 2010 and 2021. Totally, the authors have included 141 LSS-related research articles that are published in the Indian context. The keywords used are Lean Six Sigma, Lean Six Sigma in the Indian context, Lean Sigma and LSS to identify and consolidate the research papers published during this timeframe.FindingsThe research papers collected from various reputed journals, including Scopus and non- Scopus enlisted, are classified and grouped under various categories to identify the class of author who publishes more in this field, research trend over the years, the type of firm which implements LSS, the research methodology which is commonly used in LSS and related research and also the key takeaway from these articles are highlighted. Further, the authors have also identified the major contributions of researchers in various sectors during this period in India.Originality/valueThis classification framework and the systematic review help in identifying the research gap and in giving directions for future researchers. It will be useful for researchers and practitioners working on the area of LSS, rural and urban entrepreneurs, start-up managers, professionals working in micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and executives of the Make in India Project to make India as Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. Further, the clear direction of progress over the current decade in manufacturing industries, service sectors and processing industries can help the professionals working in these sectors.

Lean Six Sigma applied to an accounting process within a client of a commercial finance organisation - an empirical case study

Abstract: This study explores the use of Lean Six Sigma methodologies and tools as applied to supply chains within a services environment. The approach taken was to examine a L6S project as run within a large American financial services conglomerate to understand how this has been applied. The project not only demonstrated the results achievable but also the business thinking presented some compelling findings. Although there are differences between the Lean and Six Sigma approaches as well as the difference between a manufacturing and services environment, there were also some key learnings demonstrated. Certainly some of the key issues uncovered are that clear objectives combined with accurately set parameters and data gathering aligned with stakeholder buy-in is key to the success of a project of this nature. The implications and strategy adopted by the services company are borne out with the results as outlined in this study and further supports the deployment of a carefully thought through L6S programme within services supply chains.