Perfect Match TEAM APPLIES SIX SIGMA TO REDUCE TIME IT TAKES TO QUALIFY PATIENTS FOR KIDNEY TRANSPLANTS . . n January 20

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Perfect Match Team Applies Six Sigma To Reduce Time It Takes To Qualify Patients For Kidney Transplants N January 20 1 (52.31 KiB) Viewed 80 times

Perfect Match TEAM APPLIES SIX SIGMA TO REDUCE TIME IT TAKES TO QUALIFY PATIENTS FOR KIDNEY TRANSPLANTS . . n January 2008, the University of Toledo Medical Center (UTMC) in northwest Ohio collaborated with the University of Toledo's Industrial Engineering Department to analyze and improve the preoperational pro- cesses for patients undergoing kidney transplants. Six Sigma was applied to the project, and the following goals were established: • Optimize cycle times, • Enhance customer satisfaction Improve efficiencies Reduce costs • Streamline administrative processes, • Eliminate errors Improve protocol execution and effectiveness The project's primary metric was the number of days required from the date a patient was referred to UTMC for a kidney transplant tolve date the hospital staff declared the patient a suitable transplant candidate. The research was needed and the project selected because of an increase in the number of patients awaiting transplants and the number of transplants performed per year because of the increased service area for UTMC. Because of a waiting list of nearly 500 patients, it was determined a reduced cycle time would save lives. . By Matthew Franchetti and Val Dad
Define The specific goal was to reduce the cycle time from 227 days to 180 days or less. The primary metric for this project was the average total preoperational process time-measured in days and calculated from patient records—for patients undergoing kidney transplants. IX SIGMA FORUM MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2009 11
From the preceding two years, the process was baselined at an average of 227 days. To ensure the process was patient-centered, the team applied concepts from What Every Patient Needs to know. These concepts revolved around patient involvement and com- munication with the care team.