title: Using a Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle to introduce a new or service line.
abstract: In 2008, a multidisciplinary team at the Medical Center of Georgia, Macon, began a one-year Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle to implement a high-quality pediatric surgery service line. The PDSA team defined goals, objectives, and measurable performance metrics and then reviewed cases and aggregated data monthly to identify and improve clinical, process, instrument, and supply problems as well as patient transfer issues. The PDSA cycle led to improvements in team performance, communication, and patient transfer and decreased the number of problems associated with instruments, supplies, equipment, and surgeon tardiness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery at Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Don K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.forename: Timothy N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Bushey
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hubbard
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Timothy M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: Issam J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Shaker
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection; D005845:Georgia; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010934:Planning Techniques