Document Detail


Integrating Six Sigma with total quality management: a case example for measuring medication errors.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  14671947     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Six Sigma is a new management philosophy that seeks a nonexistent error rate. It is ripe for healthcare because many healthcare processes require a near-zero tolerance for mistakes. For most organizations, establishing a Six Sigma program requires significant resources and produces considerable stress. However, in healthcare, management can piggyback Six Sigma onto current total quality management (TQM) efforts so that minimal disruption occurs in the organization. Six Sigma is an extension of the Failure Mode and Effects Analysis that is required by JCAHO; it can easily be integrated into existing quality management efforts. Integrating Six Sigma into the existing TQM program facilitates process improvement through detailed data analysis. A drilled-down approach to root-cause analysis greatly enhances the existing TQM approach. Using the Six Sigma metrics, internal project comparisons facilitate resource allocation while external project comparisons allow for benchmarking. Thus, the application of Six Sigma makes TQM efforts more successful. This article presents a framework for including Six Sigma in an organization's TQM plan while providing a concrete example using medication errors. Using the process defined in this article, healthcare executives can integrate Six Sigma into all of their TQM projects.
Authors:
Lee Revere; Ken Black
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of healthcare management / American College of Healthcare Executives     Volume:  48     ISSN:  1096-9012     ISO Abbreviation:  J Healthc Manag     Publication Date:    2003 Nov-Dec
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2003-12-15     Completed Date:  2004-01-23     Revised Date:  2004-11-17    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9803529     Medline TA:  J Healthc Manag     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  377-91; discussion 392     Citation Subset:  H    
Affiliation:
School of Business and Public Administration, University of Houston-Clear Lake, Texas, USA. REVERE@CL.UH.EDU
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Data Collection
Hospital Administration / standards*
Humans
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
Management Quality Circles
Medication Errors / prevention & control,  statistics & numerical data*
Models, Organizational
Organizational Case Studies
Process Assessment (Health Care) / organization & administration*
Systems Integration
Total Quality Management / organization & administration*
United States

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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