Lean & Six Sigma for Healthcare Providers

Healthcare executives who are determined to be a part of the solution (rather than a part of the problem) in controlling healthcare costs and quality may have finally found a vehicle to allow them to sleep at night. It's called Six Sigma, and it helps develop a culture within the organization that is committed to reducing defects and improving customer service.

A complementary methodology, called "Lean," focuses on reducing waste and cycle time. Taken together, they represent a powerful combination that is desperately needed in healthcare.

Creative Healthcare alerted the industry to the potential of Lean and Six Sigma in their October 2001 article "The Promise of Six Sigma." Since this time, nearly every healthcare management journal and healthcare conference has included Lean and Six Sigma on their agenda. These proven techniques are here to stay, and healthcare managers are left with the question, "What do we intend to do about it?"

Creative Healthcare is pleased to assist the industry and its valued clients through the following resources and tools.

Resources and Tools for Healthcare Providers and Suppliers

• "Virtual Case Study" — watch this brief animation to witness an entire Lean Six Sigma project unfold before your eyes. (Flash Required)
• Six Sigma 101: Review the top 20 questions most people have about Six Sigma, how it fits in healthcare, and how to work with companies like Creative Healthcare to get started on a Six Sigma initiative.
• Article: Pharma embraces Six Sigma & Lean. Six Sigma and Lean have made their mark on all industries in the manufacturing and service sector. Pharma may very well be the final frontier; as that industry comes under increased pressure to become more efficient.
• Article: Instant gratification takes too long. And this is one reason why "Lean" methodologies have become such a popular complement to Six Sigma and other PI efforts. IT suppliers should recognize the opportunities from this movement, described in this February 2006 article from Managed Healthcare Executive.
• Article: Link to Learn. E-learning initiatives, enhanced by traditional classroom tools, can help your ROI make the grade.
• Article: The Promise of Six Sigma, Part One & Part Two. Read introductory articles we published in Managed Healthcare Executive, documenting the movement of Six Sigma methodologies into the healthcare industry.
• Article: Six Sigma "raises the bar" of acceptable performance in healthcare. In CHC's follow up to their initial articles on Six Sigma, they chronicle the implementation of Six Sigma at a large medical center while discussing some of the unique benefits of Six Sigma to healthcare institutions in general. A "Special Report" from Managed Healthcare Executive's January 2003 issue.
• Article: Six Sigma enters the healthcare mainstream. Six Sigma first appeared on the healthcare scene back in 1999. See what has happened since in this review of CHC recent engagements.
• Primer: Six Sigma for Healthcare Providers. Request a brief Primer on Six Sigma (available in Adobe Acrobat), abstracted from our writings on the subject (your email address required).
• Demo: Take a quick tour of CHC's Continuous Learning Lab for Performance Improvement
• Handbook: We wrote the book on Six Sigma in Healthcare. Request a handbook we recently published on Six Sigma, due to appear in the national press later this year (your email address required).

Working with Creative Healthcare

• Sensible Six Sigma: Leverage Six Sigma to produce immediate results
• Launch a Six Sigma initiative: CHC is the only firm that helps you "Train and Achieve Simultaneously"
• See Creative Healthcare in action: Our event calendar
• Go to CHC complete Portfolio of Consulting Services
• CHC announces Short Courses: Six Sigma for Healthcare Providers