title: Using Lean Six Sigma Methodology to Improve a Mass Immunizations Process at the United States Naval Academy.
abstract: Lean Six Sigma (LSS) is a process improvement methodology developed in the manufacturing industry to increase process efficiency while maintaining product quality. The efficacy of LSS application to the health care setting has not been adequately studied. This article presents a quality improvement project at the U.S. Naval Academy that uses LSS to improve the mass immunizations process for Midshipmen during in-processing. The process was standardized to give all vaccinations at one station instead of giving a different vaccination at each station. After project implementation, the average immunizations lead time decreased by 79% and staffing decreased by 10%. The process was shown to be in control with a capability index of 1.18 and performance index of 1.10, resulting in a defect rate of 0.04%. This project demonstrates that the LSS methodology can be applied successfully to the health care setting to make sustainable process improvements if used correctly and completely.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814.
authors.forename: Chrysanthy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.affiliation: Navy Medicine East, 620 John Paul Jones Circle, Building 3, Suite 1400, Portsmouth, VA 23708.
authors.forename: Donald A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: McCoy
authors.affiliation: Naval Health Clinic Annapolis, 250 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402.
authors.forename: Christopher B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Naval Health Clinic Annapolis, 250 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402.
authors.forename: Kayla D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Kirk
authors.affiliation: Naval Health Clinic Annapolis, 250 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402.
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Fry
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814.
authors.forename: Jitendrakumar R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Modi
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D032541:Mass Vaccination / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D058749:Military Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D058996:Quality Improvement; D013997:Time Factors; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D014481:United States