title: Using Six Sigma methodology to reduce patient transfer times from floor to critical-care beds.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In response to concerns regarding delays in transferring critically ill patients to intensive care units (ICU), a quality improvement project, using the Six Sigma process, was undertaken to correct issues leading to transfer delay.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To test the efficacy of a Six Sigma intervention to reduce transfer time and establish a patient transfer process that would effectively enhance communication between hospital caregivers and improve the continuum of care for patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The project was conducted at a 714-bed tertiary care hospital in Staten Island, New York. A Six Sigma multidisciplinary team was assembled to assess areas that needed improvement, manage the intervention, and analyze the results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Six Sigma process identified eight key steps in the transfer of patients from general medical floors to critical care areas. Preintervention data and a root-cause analysis helped to establish the goal transfer-time limits of 3 h for any individual transfer and 90 min for the average of all transfers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Six Sigma approach is a problem-solving methodology that resulted in almost a 60% reduction in patient transfer time from a general medical floor to a critical care area. The Six Sigma process is a feasible method for implementing healthcare related quality of care projects, especially those that are complex.
authors.affiliation: Six Sigma Certified Blackbelt for Staten Island University Hospital in Staten Island, New York, USA. ssilich@siuh.edu
authors.forename: Stephan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Silich
authors.forename: Robert V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Wetz
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Riebling
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Khoueiry
authors.forename: Nidal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abi Rafeh
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bagon
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szerszen
mesh_terms: D016638:Critical Illness / Q000628:therapy; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D007902:Length of Stay; D009519:New York City; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D010360:Patient Transfer / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013997:Time Factors; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards