USING SIX SIGMA TO IMPROVE ICU PATIENT FLOW

摘要

Hospitals today face higher patient volumes and stricter financial limitations than ever before. As a result, patient flow is often on the forefront of all hospital agendas. This paper will provide an overview of how Six Sigma Methodology can be used to expedite ICU patient throughput. The goal of this project was to reduce the time from when an ICU transfer order is written to when the ICU bed has been vacated and noted as clean in the hospital information system from over ten hours to nine hours. There are several motivations behind reducing total transfer time for ICU patients. First, the sooner an ICU transfers a patient to an inpatient nursing unit, the sooner the ICU can admit a new patient who requires ICU levels of care. Furthermore, once an ICU patient is ready to leave the unit, a delay in his transfer may actually compromise the continuity and thus, quality and safety of his care. This paper will guide readers through the five phases of Six Sigma methodology, project definition (Define), baseline data collection (Measure), data analysis (Analyze), solution development (Improve), and performance measurement and follow-up (Control). In addition to reviewing the analytical tools of Six Sigma and its application to ICU patient transfer processes, this paper will provide insight on gaining buy in and cooperation among leadership and front line staff. Although ICU patient flow is often limited by patient flow throughout the hospital, this project demonstrates that focused process improvement efforts can enhance the patient experience, improve staff satisfaction, and most importantly, provide the appropriate level of care to patients in a timely manner.