Six Sigma and CQI discussion questions - Essay Example

Six Sigma and CQI Discussion Questions Module 7 DQ1 Six sigma is a mode of operation with tools and strategies that aims to improve efficiency in business by reducing the number of defects and errors to as minimal as possible. An organisation that is capable of implementing six sigma is that whose number of defects is 3.4 in one million products or services that are offered. Six sigma operates using two methods (DMAIC and DMADV) that each have further five processes that can be used to improve on hospital efficiency and increase on hospital profitability, in our case.

Six sigma was first used in the health care industry in 1998, whereby drastic savings were made and efficiency and accidents in treating patients were minimised.Various instruments in six sigma are critical to improving efficiency in hospitals as they involve collecting feedback from health care users and staff on the quality of services offered in the organisation, collecting and analysing the data to identify the causes and effects of the challenges that are encountered in provision or receiving of health care.

The information or the trends that are derived after data analysis are then used to improve the situation to the optimal levels, and then measures and controls are put in place to ensure any deviations in future are rectified before they can cause damages or defects to the customer (Arthur, 2011).With efficiency improved, wastages such as idle staff or some hospital facilities that are underused will be put in to optimal use, thus ensuring that the hospital is operating at minimal costs level.

The hospital will increase the volume of patients that can be served per day therefore increasing profitability since efficiency has also been maximised.Module 7 DQ 2Continuous quality improvement is a never ending programme that is aimed at improving products and services that an organisation offers to its clients and is driven by data and feedbacks from clients. The programme is nor driven by complaint or events, rather it is self initiating and aims to improve on the current quality levels.

In a health care organisation, this means the management should keep on improving on the quality of health care offered to users continually based of the responses and suggestions from all the relevant stakeholders and not wait upon when complaints or bad incidents happen. Based on the information gathered from the continuous quality improvement and knowledge present within the organisation, new methods of practising can be built. This can be done through staff motivation or evaluation forums with the personnel in the organisation where they are allowed to give any information they deem relevant to the organisation without discrimination.

The information retrieved from the continuous quality improvement assessments is shared and the organisations as a whole deliberates on the lessons that can be learnt from this information and how best to handle them as well as the personnel giving their views on how to go about the critical issues identified (Quay, 2009). As the organisation is not alone in the health care industry, the information got from the process can be related to other establishments within the health industry and how they have managed to overcome or improve similar or related problems; this can be tailored to the organisation based on the needs of the organisation.

ReferencesArthur, J. (2011). Lean six sigma for hospitals: Simple steps to fast, affordable, and flawless healthcare. New York: McGraw-Hill.Quay, A. (2009). Implement continuous improvement: BSBMGT403A. Chatswood, N.S.W: Software Publications.