title: A statistical process control case study.
abstract: Statistical process control (SPC) charts can be applied to a wide number of health care applications, yet widespread use has not occurred. The greatest obstacle preventing wider use is the lack of quality management training that health care workers receive. The technical nature of the SPC guarantees that without explicit instruction this technique will not come into widespread use. Reviews of health care quality management texts inform the reader that SPC charts should be used to improve delivery processes and outcomes often without discussing how they are created. Conversely, medical research frequently reports the improved outcomes achieved after analyzing SPC charts. This article is targeted between these 2 positions: it reviews the SPC technique and presents a tool and data so readers can construct SPC charts. After tackling the case, it is hoped that the readers will collect their own data and apply the same technique to improve processes in their own organization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services and Information Management, School of Allied Health Sciences, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, USA. rossth@ecu.edu
authors.forename: Thomas K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Ross
mesh_terms: D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006268:Health Facilities; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States