Sigma Team Research Articles

Six sigma project to improve a management of change process

AbstractMany companies including Eastman Chemical Company (Eastman) are using Six Sigma teams and methodologies to improve their manufacturing processes. Eastman has also been successful in applying Six Sigma to process safety management. A Six Sigma Team was chartered to identify and implement improvements in the Eastman company management of change (MOC) process. Six sigma analysis tools utilized included process maps, cause & effects matrix, and failure modes & effects analysis. Improvement opportunities were identified for five parts of the MOC process. An improved MOC design and a control plan to maintain the gains were developed. This article shows how the Six Sigma approach is used to give an effective and efficient MOC process. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2011

Facilitating Process Changes in Meal Delivery and Radiological Testing to Improve Inpatient Insulin Timing Using Six Sigma Method

The objective of this project was to improve the timing of inpatient insulin administration related to meal delivery and the scheduling of radiology tests by Lean Six Sigma method. A multidisciplinary hospital team and a Six Sigma team from a pharmaceutical manufacturer collaborated to evaluate food delivery and radiology scheduling processes related to the timing of insulin administration. Key factors leading to problems within each system were addressed to improve the efficiency of each process while improving the timeliness of glucose testing and insulin administration. Standardizing the food delivery schedule and utilizing scorecards to track on-time meal deliveries to the floor enabled nursing to more accurately administer insulin in coordination with the delivery of meals. Increasing communication and restricting the scheduling of inpatient procedures during mealtimes reduced disruptions to insulin administration. Data at 6 months postimplementation demonstrated that the institution met goals for most primary outcome metrics including increasing on-time meal delivery and the proportion of patients taking insulin scheduled for radiology tests during appropriate times. By implementing the recommendations identified via Lean Six Sigma, this collaborative effort improved the timing of inpatient insulin administration related to meal delivery and radiology testing.

Improving Insulin Distribution and Administration Safety Using Lean Six Sigma Methodologies

Purpose To utilize Lean Six Sigma in a hospital environment to improve insulin medication safety, improve the efficiency of insulin delivery, and reduce costs by analyzing the dispensing and administration process. Methods A Six Sigma team from a pharmaceutical manufacturer and a multidisciplinary hospital team collaborated to evaluate and modify the insulin dispensing and administration process utilizing the Lean Six Sigma improvement process (DMAIC process: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control). Key factors, or root causes, leading to problems within the system were identified and addressed to improve the efficiency of the process while maintaining quality and improving patient safety. Results A number of key steps were identified to streamline the insulin dispensing and administration process including checking medications centrally instead of at satellite pharmacies, adding additional insulins and associated supplies to automated dispensing cabinets on each floor, and replacing shared bins for medications with separate storage bins for each patient. Additional changes made following the Lean Six Sigma project resulted in a system with less variability and increased efficiency. In addition to improved patient safety, annualized overall cost savings of $75,000 were estimated following implementation primarily due to the elimination of rework done in the pharmacy due to misplaced vials. Conclusion This collaborative effort between a hospital and a pharmaceutical manufacturer successfully utilized Lean Six Sigma methodologies to demonstrate positive, validated outcomes in improving insulin safety and patient care. Additional product insights were gained by the pharmaceutical manufacturer to further improve insulin safety.

Perencanaan Peningkatan Kualitas dengan Menggunakan Integrasi Metode Six Sigma dan ISO 9001:2000

Companies who produce several of cigarettes, one of the kinds is BM Universal 12. To produce product with best quality and due to give satisfaction toward its consumer, there are several problem faced by the cigarette production process which is there are still defect product in its production process. From this condition, they need one method to deal with the matter. Using six sigma methods, they can identify defect product and by doing that they could improve the quality of the product. In this experiment it's using integration method by combining six sigma method and ISO 9001:2000. Six sigma methods is expected to be able minimizing the defect in PT "X" by creating production process more effectively, better performance of the company and still fulfilling the need and the satisfaction of the consumer while also making efforts to improve and inclined its quality. Meanwhile ISO 9001:2000, is an international standard that has orientation toward the qualifying products. Based on its internal data and observation commence inside the company, there would be only three main clauses from ISO 9001:2000 requirements that is going to be made as measuring points of product quality improvement, which is clause 5 (management responsibilities), 7 (product realization) and 8 (measurement, analysis and improvement). While Six Sigma phase comprises of Define, Measure, Analyze and Improve. In Define phase there would be defining the product, the making of Six Sigma team and the making of production flow process. Measure has 3 kind defects that usually have bigger percentage than other defects which is unbalance weight defect (including empty shell) and korep defect. The percentage that goes with unbalance weight defect (including empty shell) is 41.9% and korep defect with 21.03% from all three defect we gained DPMO value reaching 7776 and sigma level reaching 3,9. By viewing the FMEA and RPN, the improvement alternatives that suppose to be done by the company is creating job instruction, implementing job instruction in rolling process then the company should be able to save Rp3,942,975.00 for one month.

Perencanaan Perbaikan Proses pada Produksi Genteng dengan Metode Six Sigma

UD. BJ Mendit on Mendit Barat, Kec. Pakis is one of centrale of home industry in Malang with it's roof production process. From the observation that the researcher do into UD. BJ Mendit, finded that the production process had been doing often with technical and non technical problems that make some failed roof product with the criterion are keropos, break, barst, gopel, sandbank. Way of this roof production planning repair is important to do so that can make this production unit produce an unfailed product and reduce loss. Purposes of this research are identifying types of roof failed product, analysing main cause of roof failed product with FMEA, and giving recommended action for Mendit's roof production process repair. This research doing the same steps as same as Six Sigma cycle: DMAIC, but not doing the last step, Control. On Define step, are doing product identifying and make the Six Sigma team. On Measure step, are determining priority failed product identifying into CTQ (Critical To Quality) and measurement of present performance with counting the DPMO (Defect Per Million Opportunities) dan Sigma level. On Analyze step, is detecting main atributs that influencing the failed product on CTQ. On Improve step, is doing process improvement with developing alternative to reduce failed product atributs. From the steps had done, finded that the biggest failed criterion is keropos. Keropos is caused by lack of skill and correctness of worker on processing the raw material, can also caused by process execution which not fully corret so that produce critical process to be repaired first to increase the quality of Mendit's roof.

A Lean Six Sigma Team Increases Hand Hygiene Compliance and Reduces Hospital-Acquired MRSA Infections by 51%

A low hand hygiene compliance rate by healthcare workers increases hospital-acquired infections to patients. At Presbyterian Healthcare Services in Albuquerque, New Mexico a Lean Six Sigma team identified the reasons for noncompliance were multifaceted. The team followed the DMAIC process and completed the methodology in 12 months. They implemented multiple solutions in the three areas: Education, Culture, and Environment. Based on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) mortality research the team's results included an estimated 2.5 lives saved by reducing MRSA infections by 51%. Subsequently this 51% decrease in MRSA saved the hospital US$276,500. For those readers tasked with increasing hand hygiene compliance this article will provide the knowledge and insight needed to overcome multifaceted barriers to noncompliance.

The Role of Six Sigma Approach by Applying (Dmaic) Model and Forming Work Team in Improving Banks Performance: A Survey Study in Syrian Banks in Damascus

Banking Systems face a lot of changes and challenges, which necessitate applying new management and performance improvement concepts, as an attempt to achieve excellence, Six Sigma is considered to be one of the best methodologies that help in this regard because it may be utilized in improving banks performance and decrease defects in their processes. This study aimed to highlight the role of six sigma approach to improve the performance of Syrian banks according to the application of six sigma model elements (DMAIC) and selecting six sigma team (Improvement Team). Conclusions of the study show the importance of implementing Six Sigma methodology in all local sections including industrial and service organizations, and there is a tendency in the Syrian banks to utilize six sigma approaches. Conclusions also show that there is a significant statistical impact between each of application of six sigma model elements (DMAIC), Selecting six sigma team (Improvement Team), and the performance improvement of Syrian banks. Based on that, several recommendations were presented

Improving surgical antibiotic prophylaxis timing at a small community hospital

INTRODUCTION: In November 2003, a six sigma quality improvement team was initiated to improve surgical prophylactic antibiotic timing from the yearly rate of 71% at this 138-bed community hospital located in southwestern Illinois and a member of a broader healthcare system. METHODS: From January 2003 to August 2004, data were prospectively collected for hip and knee arthroplasty, colon resection, and hysterectomy (n=393). Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) definitions were used for antibiotic on-time delivery (<60 minutes before the incision). The other CMS populations, heart and vascular surgeries, are not performed at the hospital. From December 2003 through February 2004, the team collected and analyzed data on antibiotic delivery, flowcharted current processes, developed cause-and-effect diagrams of untimely antibiotic delivery, and trialed new processes. In March 2004, a new practice of antibiotic intravenous push (IVP) on anesthesia induction was initiated. In June 2004, standing orders for automatic substitution to appropriate prophylactic antibiotic choice and IVP were approved. Analysis was performed using Pearson's chi square tests and Mantel-Haenszel's common odds ratio estimates. RESULTS: Prior to the IVP process, 199/277 (72%) cases received antibiotics on time, 50 (19%) were early (>60 minutes before incision), 19 (7%) were after the incision, and 9 (3%) were not given. After IVP, 98/116 (84%) received on-time antibiotics, 10 (9%) were early, 5 (4%) were late, and 3 (3%) were not given, results which were significantly better (p=0.009). Before the IVP process, the mean time of antibiotic delivery was 33 minutes preoperatively (SD=120 minutes); after IVP the mean was 22 minutes (SD=67 minutes). Knee and hip arthoplasty patients were 2.7 times more likely (CI=1.4–5.1) than other surgical patients to receive antibiotics on time prior to IVP. After IVP, there was no difference in timeliness between the surgical procedures. The IVP process was identified when evaluating the data of the surgeons with timely delivery. Since automatic substitution began in June 2004, on-time delivery has been 48/53 (90%) (p=0.006). CONCLUSION: The six sigma team improved the timeliness of prophylactic antibiotics at the hospital. IVP on induction with automatic substitution were successful interventions. Current evaluation of each untimely case helps identify process failures. Continued efforts are needed to achieve 100% compliance.