Six Sigma Healthcare: Premier Expands Agreement with Standard Register to Provide ...
From Business Wire (press release) ... Leveraging its deep industry expertise, innovative solutions,
Six Sigma capabilities and leading technology, it is helping healthcare organizations enhance ...
Standard Register (NYSE:SR) is a leading information solutions company, with more than 90 years of innovation in improving the way business gets done in healthcare, financial services, manufacturing and other industries. The company helps organizations increase efficiency, reduce costs, enhance security and grow revenue by effectively capturing, managing and using information. Its offerings range from document and label solutions to e-business solutions to consulting and managed services. More information is available at www.standardregister.com.
First, what it is not. It is not a secret society, a slogan, or a cliché. Six Sigma is a highly disciplined process that helps us focus on developing and delivering near-perfect products and services. Why "Sigma"? The word is a statistical term that measures how far a given process deviates from perfection. The central idea behind Six Sigma is that if you can measure how many "defects" you have in a process, you can systematically figure out how to eliminate them and get as close to "zero defects" as possible. In fact, the goal of Six Sigma is to decrease defects to only 3.4 per million opportunities for a given product or service transaction. The Six Sigma approach has changed the way we work and everything we do in every product and design. Six Sigma is embedding quality thinking, process thinking, and associate engagement across every level and every operation.
Clients are the center of Fulfillment Services' universe of Six Sigma: they define quality. They expect performance, reliability, competitive prices, on-time delivery, service, clear and correct transaction processing, and more. In every attribute that influences client perception we know that just being good is not enough. Delighting our clients is a necessity. It is a MUST. Because if we don't do it, someone else will!
The Six Sigma quality approach requires us to look at our business from the client's perspective, not ours. In other words, we must look at our processes from the outside-in. By understanding the transaction lifecycle from the client's needs and processes, we can discover what they are seeing and feeling. With this knowledge, we can identify areas where we can add significant value or improvement from their perspective.
People create results. Involving all associates is essential to Fulfillment Services' Six Sigma approach. We are committed to providing opportunities and incentives for associates to focus their talents and energies on satisfying clients.
All of our associates will be trained in the strategy, basic statistical tools, and techniques of Six Sigma. Training workshops are offered at various levels:
Yellow Belt Training: Basic tool introduction to equip associates to participate in Six Sigma projects.
Black Belt and Green Belt Training: In-depth quality training that includes high-level statistical tools, basic quality control tools, action workout process, and flow technology training.
DFSS – (Design for Six Sigma) is a systematic methodology utilizing tools, training and measurements to enable us to design products and processes that meet client expectations and can be produced at Six Sigma quality levels.
DMAIC – (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control) is a process for continued improvement. It is systematically, scientifically, and factually based. This closed-loop process eliminates unproductive steps, often focuses on new measurements, and applies technology for improvement.
Six Sigma – A vision of quality which equates to only 3.4 defects per million opportunities for each product or service transaction; striving for perfection.
Control Chart – Monitors variance in a process over time and alerts the business to unexpected variance which may cause defects.
Defect Measurement – Accounting for the number or frequency of defects that cause lapses in product or service quality.
Pareto Diagram – Focuses on efforts or the problems that have the greatest potential for improvement by showing relative frequency and/or size in a descending bar graph. Based on the proven Pareto principle: 20% of the sources cause 80% of any problems.
Process Mapping – Illustrated description of how things get done, which enables participants to visualize an entire process and identify areas of strength and weaknesses. It helps reduce cycle time and defects while recognizing the value of individual contributions.
Root Cause Analysis – Study of the original reason for nonconformance with a process. When the root cause is removed or corrected, the nonconformance will be eliminated.
Statistical Process Control – The application of statistical methods to analyze data, study, and monitor process capability and performance.
Tree Diagram – Graphically shows any broad goal broken into different levels of detailed actions. It encourages team members to expand their thinking when creating solutions.
Black Belt – Leader of a team responsible for measuring, analyzing, improving, and controlling key processes that influence customer satisfaction and/or productivity growth. Black Belt is a full-time position.
Control – The state of stability, normal variation, and predictability. Process of regulating and guiding operations and processes using quantitative data.
CTQ: Critical to Quality (Critical "Y") – Element of a process or practice which has a direct impact on its perceived quality.
Client Needs and Expectations – Needs, as defined by clients, which meet their basic requirements and standards.
Defects – Sources of clients' irritation. Defects are costly to both clients and to manufacturers or service providers. Eliminating defects provides cost benefits.
Green Belt – Similar to Black Belt but not a full-time position.
Master Black Belt – First and foremost teachers. They also review and mentor Black Belts. Selection criteria for Master Black Belts are quantitative skills and the ability to teach and mentor. Master Black Belt is a full-time position.
Variance – A change in a process or business practice that may alter its expected outcome.
Labels: approach, competitive, critical-to-quality, ctq, defect, dfss, dmaic, innovation, manufacturing-flow, strategy, variation
