Six Sigma

In 2005, St. Edward Mercy Medical Center adapted “Six Sigma” as its process improvement methodology. Developed and trademarked by Motorola and popularized by General Electric, Six Sigma has shown itself to be the most sophisticated quality system available. A data-driven and highly analytical method of process improvement, Six Sigma is designed to reduce variability and to minimize or eliminate defects in the process. Six Sigma involves rigorously assessing a long-standing problem for which the cause and the solution are unknown. Projects typically take several months of work by a designated project team. Because of the time and level of work involved, Six Sigma is reserved for issues that are critical to our customers, physicians and fellow co-workers. Six Sigma projects transform how we provide patient care, both clinically and operationally.

The process utilizes a systematic five step process called DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control). A summary of Six Sigma steps include:

• Define – focuses on defining the problem, relating the problem to the customer and defining the critical-to-quality (CTQ’s) issues from the customer perspective.
• Measure – focuses on establishing the critical measure of performance for the process, developing the data collection plan and assessing the measurement system.
• Analyze – focuses on establishing process capability, defining performance objectives, root causes and identifying sources of variation.
• Improve – focuses on determining the optimal solution.
• Control – focuses on establishing controls so that the gains achieved are sustained.

Our Successes

• Robust Medication Reconciliation process for identification and communication of patient’s medication regimen across all levels of care.
• Integration of Physical Therapy services into post-op care of coronary artery bypass patients for increase in functional mobility and quicker return to independence.
• “Bundled” procedure for Central Line insertion identified and put in place to decrease potential for associated blood stream infections.