Use of Lean Six Sigma Methodology in Improving Waiting Times for First Orthopedic Consultation at a Public Hospital

Purpose – Healthcare is one of the most important sectors since humans lives directly depend on it. The organizations which provide the population’s healthcare are still faced with preponderant challenges, the greatest one being the high demand for these services and therefore the capability to also supply them. With the intention of solving this issue, the application of Lean and Six Sigma methods in the healthcare services have shown promising results in several studies.
Design/methodology/approach – The purpose of this work is to develop a Case Study in the hospital using Lean and Six Sigma methods, in order to demonstrate positive improvements in the area, which concerns patient satisfaction. After a screening of the patient’s feedback at a Portuguese public hospital, we assessed the most relevant dissatisfaction causes, and proceeded to the application of DMAIC cycle with the aim to reduce consultation in the Orthopedics service. delay times
Findings – It has been identified that changes in management practices can provide essential improvements to the healthcare sector, avoiding the dependence of extra resources and typical budgetary limitations. Beyond increasing patient and healthcare professionals’ satisfaction, they can also lead to increased responsiveness and a more balanced distribution of existing resources.
Originality/value – It is estimated that with the implementation of the proposed improvement action plan, it may be possible to reduce waiting times associated with the first orthopaedic consultation by approximately 33%.

Lean Six Sigma, Healthcare, DMAIC, Quality Engineering