Implementing DMAIC: A Case Study in Healthcare

Project Overview

A major regional hospital faced significant challenges:

• Extended emergency department wait times
• Low patient satisfaction scores
• Inefficient resource utilization
• High operational costs

Define Phase

The team began by:

• Identifying stakeholders
• Setting clear objectives
• Defining success metrics
• Creating project charter

Measure Phase

Key measurements included:

• Patient wait times
• Staff utilization rates
• Patient satisfaction scores
• Process cycle times

Analyze Phase

Analysis revealed:

• Bottlenecks in triage process
• Inefficient staff scheduling
• Communication gaps
• Resource allocation issues

Improve Phase

Implemented solutions included:

• Streamlined triage process
• Optimized staff scheduling
• Enhanced communication systems
• Improved resource allocation

Control Phase

Sustainability measures:

• Regular monitoring system
• Staff training program
• Performance dashboards
• Continuous feedback loop

Results

• 35% reduction in wait times
• 28% improvement in patient satisfaction
• 20% increase in resource efficiency
• $1.5M annual cost savings