Six Sigma in health care

Abstract

Six Sigma, originally initiated by Motorola and General Electric, offers a process improvement strategy that has been successfully applied in manufacturing. Service firms have recently trended toward Six Sigma methodology for internal processes and consumer centric. The paper discusses implementing Six Sigma in the health‐care sector. The paper introduces the challenges that face implementing Six Sigma in services, with a special focus on the health‐care industry, and the application of Six Sigma in health care. A case study about Mount Carmel Health System’s successful implementation of Six Sigma is presented. Finally, the paper concludes with the potential of Six Sigma in health care.

Citation

Sehwail, L. and DeYong, C. (2003), "Six Sigma in health care", Leadership in Health Services, Vol. 16 No. 4, pp. 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1108/13660750310500030