Carlow University
Question 2: How do you think using manufacturing improvement models like TPS and Six Sigma will improve healthcare?
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) identified six specific aims for improvement. “These aims are built around the core need for health care to be: Safe, Effective, Patient-centered, Timely, Efficient, and Equitable.” (2001, p.3). Lean management has addressed many of these issues in the manufacturing world but I believe the elements utilized by Toyota Production System (TPS) have been shown to be used by healthcare to improve patient safety and efficiency, two of the needs identified by IOM. “The lean approach is therefore focused on getting the right things to the right place at the right time in the right quantity to achieve perfect workflow while minimizing waste and being flexible and able to change.” (Lighter, 2011, p. 239) This is exactly what we need to do in health care and these models give us a structured proven way to make the improvements so vital to our continued success. An example TPS’s “autonomation (automation with a human touch)” (Lighter, 2011, p. 233) the need for machines to be “smart”, are the Smart pumps we currently use for IV infusion and PCA pumps. These pumps ensure that the correct medication is infusing at the correct rate in the correct concentration. Each pump has “guardrails” which are guidelines for the maximum concentration and rate of infusion for the medications, utilizing the guardrails ensures the patient is safely receiving the medication.
I really do not understand Six Sigma, I need a copy of Six Sigma for Dummies if anyone can suggest something I can read or explain this to me I would really appreciate it. From what I can understand I think this could be utilized in the lab or radiology but cannot see how to use it in nursing.
Question 3: Discuss if standardization is an effective way to control costs and improve quality.
There is a place in health care for