Improving healthcare reliability by integrating Six-sigma in a business process modeling and analysis strategy

Six-sigma methodology provides real and concrete results in healthcare systems by mitigating and eliminating variations in critical processes. However, using Six-sigma alone in complex environments can lead to unproductive and inefficient work due to a misunderstanding of the process interactions. Combination of both business process modeling and six-sigma helps achieve a highly reliable, customer-oriented and process-based healthcare system. Business process modeling allows a deep understanding of complex care pathways and helps in identifying those pathways which are critical to the patient. Six-sigma methodology on the other hand helps to improve the reliability and minimize the risks in the critical patient pathways. While the literature is full of studies and examples of the individual techniques for improving healthcare services there is little evidence on the best way of combing these tools to accelerate improvement programs. This paper presents a framework which will provide guidance to healthcare organizations seeking a sustainable strategy for operational excellence with a high-level of process reliability by integrating both Six-sigma tools and a business process modeling technique.