Essentials for the Improvement of Healthcare Using Lean & Six Sigma

Essentials for the Improvement of Healthcare Using Lean & Six Sigma is all about real and immediate quality improvement. Written by D.H. Stamatis, a renowned expert in organizational development and quality, the book addresses concerns that can be ameliorated with minimal government intervention. Detailing immediate paths for improvement fundamental to primary care, hospitals, and managed care, the book: - Introduces much-needed mechanics of change, including transitioning from hierarchical groups to interactive inclusionary teams - Focuses on customer satisfaction as a key indicator of quality - Explains how Lean and Six Sigma tools can be readily applied to healthcare - Spotlights primary care, including how to define and redesign its process and develop better metrics - Presents IT applications that will improve billing, documentation, and patient care - Examines Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award criteria as it applies to healthcare - Illustrates quality improvements and best practices through real world case studies - Includes downloadable resources with Six Sigma forms and formulas, Lean improvement tools, and other quality tools and worksheets Whether you think advances in technology and medicine, coupled with freedom of choice, makes the U.S. healthcare system the best in the world, or whether you believe growing costs, regulatory morass, and a tort-obsessed culture drop it to the bottom; it is evident that the processes currently employed and the subsequent defensive medicine philosophy that has resulted will not be able to meet the future demands of our aging society. Through Six Sigma and Lean, this text moves the focus from reactive controls to the proactive efficiency required to implement real and sustainable quality improvements that will allow us to forge a system that is all about wellness.

Dr.Stamatis is a specialist in Management Consulting, Organizational Development and Quality Science. He has taught Project Management, Operations Management, Logistics, Mathematical Modeling and Statistics for both graduate and undergraduate levels at Central Michigan University, University of Michigan, and Florida Institute of Technology.

The Four Critical Issues in Healthcare. Directions of Improvement in Healthcare. Mechanics of Change. Transition of Groups to Teams. Logistical Issues of Teams. Effects of Change in Healthcare. Customer Satisfaction. Understanding the Process. Using Six Sigma Methodology for Improvement. Using Lean Methodology for Improvement. Understanding Measurement. Primary Care. Immediate Applications for Information Technology (IT) in Healthcare. Project Selection. Understanding and Utilizing ISO 9000 Standards. Understanding and Utilizing the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Program.