Quality improvement management system in hospitals through DMAIC structure

Abstract

World Health Organisation (WHO) defines quality care as “the extent to which health care services provided to individuals and patient populations improve desired health outcomes. In order to achieve this, health care must be safe, effective, timely, efficient, equitable and people-centred.” Quality of care ensures the patient’s right to assess quality health services. Health facilities often struggle to provide quality care. Improving quality of care is therefore critical if we want to reduce patient mortality. Healthcare industry can benefit greatly from Total quality management (TQM). Healthcare industry in general, and the hospital sector in particular, is going through a paradigm shift in the way total quality management (TQM) concepts are being implemented. Unlike in the past, where quality was defined from the perspective of healthcare providers, patient satisfaction has now become the central theme for every quality improvement initiative. The design, measure, improve, control (DMAIC) methodology of six sigma technique is an excellent tool for bringing in patient centric quality consciousness in the healthcare organizations.¹ The present study was undertaken to understand the gaps in service delivery related to six processes of healthcare delivery system in a tertiary care hospital of Haryana. An in depth analysis was done with the help of DMAIC methodology.^2,3 The gaps in patient discharge process, call management system, ambulance management system, medical records management, patient feedback analysis, and hospital infection control system were identified, and policy recommendations for quality improvement were suggested.

Keywords: Six Sigma, DMAIC, total quality management, gap analysis, healthcare, quality improvement