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Six Sigma
Six Sigma is an analytical method aimed at achieving near perfect results on a production line. The Greek letter sigma denotes variation in a standard bell curve.
One Sigma equals 690,000 defects per one (1) million
Three Sigma equals 66,000 defects per one (1) million
Six Sigma equals 3.4 defects per one (1) million
Industrial standards are to reach Six Sigma results. The process achieves error reduction by reducing errors through the assessment of problems. First, the process in need of improvement is DEFINED. Next, the process (or steps in process) is MEASURED to determine current performance. These measures are then ANALYZED to pinpoint errors (where things are going wrong). The process(s) are then IMPROVED to eliminate the errors. As a final step, CONTROLS are set-up to prevent slipping back into previous process(s).
The Six Sigma process should be easily adaptable to healthcare, although it requires training, up-front time and emphasis from management levels to make it work. By working on processes, step-by-step, analyzing the problem areas and instituting corrective actions at each step of the process, errors can be reduced to a Six Sigma level in healthcare.