Lean Sigma Applications to Service Departments in the Healthcare Industry

The Health Care System has struggled with many problems such as medical errors, poorly designed processes, waste, and customer dissatisfaction. The Lean Six Sigma methodology has been shown to be efficient in solving problems in the manufacturing industry and in services, as well. In this study, a framework for applying Lean Six Sigma to the health care industry is presented. The framework depicts a systematic methodology to solve problems typically found in this industry. A case study is also presented on how to apply this framework. The DMAIC Model has been conducted in an Imaging Department to identify the root causes of problems and to define a future state of the proces