Using lean Six Sigma to improve hospital based outpatient imaging satisfaction.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Quality Improvement in Medical Imaging

Background:

• Hospital imaging departments face challenges in prioritizing patients based on critical needs.
• Initial adoption of Intentional Tools improved outpatient satisfaction scores and UHC percentile ranking.
• A plateau in performance was observed at the 60th percentile UHC ranking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify opportunities for further improvement in outpatient imaging satisfaction.
• To determine the impact of targeted interventions using the Six Sigma DMAIC process.
• To guide financial resource allocation for maximum impact on patient satisfaction.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Six Sigma DMA Process (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control).
• Conducted a two-week focused pilot study on areas identified through the Six Sigma analysis.
• Analyzed outpatient satisfaction scores and UHC percentile rankings before and after interventions.

Main Results:

• Outpatient satisfaction scores improved from a mean of 92.1 (60th percentile) to 93.7 (88th percentile).
• The Six Sigma DMAIC process identified key areas for targeted improvement.
• A focused pilot intervention led to a substantial increase in performance percentile.

Conclusions:

• The Six Sigma DMAIC methodology is effective in driving significant improvements in hospital imaging patient satisfaction.
• Targeted, data-driven interventions can overcome performance plateaus.
• Optimizing resource allocation based on Six Sigma findings can yield substantial gains in patient satisfaction metrics.