Healthcare
Since 1980, the United States has dramatically outpaced other high-income nations in health care spending, rising from 8.2% to over 16% of GDP by 2022—with projections exceeding 20% by 2035—while peer countries increased more modestly from 4–8% to 8–12%.These enormous healthcare expenditures are commonly attributed to an aging population and technological advances. However, operational inefficiencies are cost drivers that are often opaque and contribute significantly to increasing costs. Lean Six Sigma, when applied to the healthcare environment, is an effective way to strike the delicate balance between delivering high-quality care and cost effectiveness. Using Lean techniques to address cycle times (efficiency), and Six Sigma techniques to address defects (effectiveness), Circle 6 has been able to help our clients achieve millions of dollars in hard savings and improve the quality of patient experiences and outcomes.
Project examples:
- Reduce Pharmacy Wait Times
- Call Center Optimization (reduce dropped calls, reduce cycle times, increase effectiveness and patient satisfaction)
- Missed Opportunities Reduction
- Increase Patient Access – Right care, right time, for the right patients
- Clinic Utilization Increase
- Reduction in OR Changeover Times
- Reduction in Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcers
- Reduction in Hospital-Acquired Infections
- Pharmacy Inventory Optimization (ABC Stratification, 5S, Replenishment Pull System Establishment)
- E.D. Process Flow Improvement
- Oncology Infusion Suite Throughput
- Reduction in Billing Errors
- Increased High-cost Patient Identification and Stratification
- Sterile Equipment Processing Quality Improvement (Surgical Instruments and Flexible Scopes)
- Application of Various Lean Inventory Management Techniques (Prosthetics Inventory, Sterile Supplies, Point-of-use)
- Reduction in Acute Patient Length of Stay
- Reduced Day of Discharge Cycle Times
Please contact us to learn more.
Click image to enlarge