Performance improvement
A Comprehensive Guide to Implementing a Performance Improvement Process in Healthcare
In the past, healthcare organizations have focused on reducing costs and improving efficiency. However, as we now understand more about how hospitals work, it is clear that there are many opportunities to improve performance through continuous process improvement. This blog post will outline a strategy for implementing a performance improvement process in your organization based on the Six Sigma methodology.
This strategy is based on the Six Sigma methodology, which was originally developed for manufacturing companies. The principles of this approach can be applied to any organization with a measurable outcome or output and one way that healthcare organizations have been successful in applying it is through improving patient care outcomes and reducing unnecessary hospital readmissions.
The steps in this guide can be used to improve the performance of any healthcare organization. This process is scalable, and it has been shown to work at all levels of scale (from small hospitals with a variety of clinics to large integrated delivery systems). The “Performance Improvement Process” is an iterative cycle that helps keep your organization focused on its process improvement.
This cycle is a series of six steps that help improve organizational processes:
The first step of sigma six is “Define the Process”. This includes identifying and defining all of the steps in a process, as well as understanding why they are performed. Create a problem statement, goal statement, project charter, customer requirement, and process map.
The second step of sigma six is to measure the current process. You can do this by collecting data on current performance and any issues within the organization. Ensure that the data is reliable and use it to update the project charter as needed.
The third step of sigma six is to analyze the process. In this step , data is analyzed to identify root causes for the problems. This will help focus on what needs to be changed in the process and why it performs poorly.
The fourth step of sigma six is to improve the process, which includes brainstorming ways that the cycle can be improved and proposing changes for implementation. This step of sigma six is where you implement solutions. The solution must address any issues identified during analysis, as well as meet key customer requirements and organizational standards. Solutions are implemented by taking small actionable steps for improvement and measuring the impact of those improvements.
The fifth step of sigma six is control. Now that you have created and implemented solutions for the process problem, it is time to go into maintenance mode. In this step, it is important to utilize data to ensure that solutions to the process problem are going according to plan and that a rescue plan is developed in the event that the problem returns.
By following these steps, you can help to make sure that your process is as efficient and effective as possible.