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Wessel RJ, Rivera CG, Ausman SE, Martin N, Braga SA, Hagy NT, Moreland-Head LN, Abu Saleh OM, Gajic O, Jannetto PJ, Barreto EF. Use of the DMAIC Lean Six Sigma quality improvement framework to improve beta-lactam antibiotic adequacy in the critically ill. Int J Qual Health Care 2024; 36:mzae062. [PMID: 38955670 PMCID: PMC11439991 DOI: 10.1093/intqhc/mzae062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Beta-lactam antibiotics are widely used in the intensive care unit due to their favorable effectiveness and safety profiles. Beta-lactams given to patients with sepsis must be delivered as soon as possible after infection recognition (early), treat the suspected organism (appropriate), and be administered at a dose that eradicates the infection (adequate). Early and appropriate antibiotic delivery occurs in >90% of patients, but less than half of patients with sepsis achieve adequate antibiotic exposure. This project aimed to address this quality gap and improve beta-lactam adequacy using the Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control Lean Six Sigma quality improvement framework. A multidisciplinary steering committee was formed, which completed a stakeholder analysis to define the gap in practice. An Ishikawa cause and effect (Fishbone) diagram was used to identify the root causes and an impact/effort grid facilitated prioritization of interventions. An intervention that included bundled education with the use of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM; i.e. drug-level testing) was projected to have the highest impact relative to the amount of effort and selected to address beta-lactam inadequacy in the critically ill. The education and TDM intervention were deployed through a Plan, Do, Study, Act cycle. In the 3 months after "go-live," 54 episodes of beta-lactam TDM occurred in 41 unique intensive care unit patients. The primary quality metric of beta-lactam adequacy was achieved in 94% of individuals after the intervention. Ninety-four percent of clinicians gauged the education provided as sufficient. The primary counterbalance of antimicrobial days of therapy, a core antimicrobial stewardship metric, was unchanged over time (favorable result; P = .73). Application of the Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control Lean Six Sigma quality improvement framework effectively improved beta-lactam adequacy in critically ill patients. The approach taken in this quality improvement project is widely generalizable to other drugs, drug classes, or settings to increase the adequacy of drug exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J Wessel
- Strategy Department, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, United States
| | - Christina G Rivera
- Department of Pharmacy, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, United States
| | - Sara E Ausman
- Department of Pharmacy, Mayo Clinic Health System, 733 W Clairemont Ave, Eau Claire, WI 54701, United States
| | - Nathaniel Martin
- Department of Pharmacy, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, United States
| | - Shienna A Braga
- Department of Pharmacy, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, United States
| | - Natalie T Hagy
- Department of Pharmacy, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, United States
| | - Lindsay N Moreland-Head
- Indiana University School of Medicine, 340 West 10th Street, Fairbanks Hall, Suite 6200, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States
| | - Omar M Abu Saleh
- Division of Public Health, Infectious Diseases and Occupational Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, United States
| | - Ognjen Gajic
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, United States
| | - Paul J Jannetto
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, United States
| | - Erin F Barreto
- Department of Pharmacy, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, United States
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Gardim L, dos Santos FR, Dias BM, Fuentes LBEH, Silveira RCDCP, Bernardes A. Lean and/or Six Sigma for process optimization in the perioperative period: an integrative review. Rev Bras Enferm 2024; 77:e20230431. [PMID: 38896715 PMCID: PMC11178310 DOI: 10.1590/0034-7167-2023-0431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To analyze the evidence on the influence of Lean and/or Six Sigma for process optimization in the perioperative period. METHODS Integrative review carried out in the MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus and LILACS databases on the use of Lean and/or Six Sigma to optimize perioperative processes. The studies included were analyzed in three thematic categories: flow of surgical patients, work process and length of stay. RESULTS The final sample consisted of ten studies, which covered all operative periods. Lean and/or Six Sigma make a significant contribution to optimizing perioperative processes. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS Lean and/or Six Sigma optimize perioperative processes to maximize the achievement of system stability indicators, making it possible to identify potential problems in order to recognize them and propose solutions that can enable the institution of patient-centered care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Gardim
- Universidade de São Paulo. Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
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Krishnamoorthy V, Harris R, Chowdhury AM, Bedoya A, Bartz R, Raghunathan K. Building Learning Healthcare Systems for Critical Care Medicine. Anesthesiology 2024; 140:817-823. [PMID: 38345893 DOI: 10.1097/aln.0000000000004847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Learning healthcare systems are an evolving way of integrating informatics, analytics, and continuous improvement into daily practice in healthcare. This article discusses strategies to build learning healthcare systems for critical care medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijay Krishnamoorthy
- Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Critical Care Medicine; Critical Care and Perioperative Population Health Research Program, Department of Anesthesiology; and Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Ronald Harris
- Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Ananda M Chowdhury
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Armando Bedoya
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Raquel Bartz
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Karthik Raghunathan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Critical Care Medicine; Critical Care and Perioperative Population Health Research Program, Department of Anesthesiology; and Department of Population Health Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
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Kannan N, Ramalingam K, Ramani P. Revolutionising Quality Management in the Oral Pathology Laboratory: A Deep Dive Into the Six Sigma Methodology. Cureus 2024; 16:e52651. [PMID: 38380190 PMCID: PMC10877558 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.52651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Six Sigma Foundations is a statistical standard that indicates an exceptionally high level of quality, along with a customer satisfaction management approach that intends to lower error rates and boost process efficiency. The Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, and Control (DMAIC) approach is a fundamental component of Six Sigma and provides an organised framework for process improvement. In contrast to conventional techniques that are more manual-based, Six Sigma emphasises and focuses on making decisions based on facts and evidence. The key to the success of Six Sigma is its reliance on statistical methods. Advanced tools like Pareto charts, histograms, regression analysis, and fishbone diagrams are used ardently for the benefit of customers and to reduce the overall error rate. To support clinical decision-making, a clinical laboratory's primary responsibility is to generate test results that are accurate, repeatable, fast, and appropriately interpreted. Ensuring desired clinical outcomes must be the ultimate objective. To accomplish this goal, laboratories must prioritise cost-effectiveness while establishing and maintaining quality in all laboratory procedures. The concept of the Lean Six Sigma (LSS) methodology, which mainly centres on efficiency by discerning and eradicating actions or operations that do not provide any benefit to the organisation, is combined with the proposition of Six Sigma, which emphasises data-driven analyses and optimization. The integration of these powerful concepts aids in the overall improvement of the organisations adopting these techniques. This review provides a brief overview of the benefits of the LSS methodology and its implementation in the oral pathology laboratory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Kannan
- Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, IND
| | - Karthikeyan Ramalingam
- Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, IND
| | - Pratibha Ramani
- Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Chennai, IND
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Thakur V, Akerele OA, Randell E. Lean and Six Sigma as continuous quality improvement frameworks in the clinical diagnostic laboratory. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 2023; 60:63-81. [PMID: 35978530 DOI: 10.1080/10408363.2022.2106544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Processes to enhance customer-related services in healthcare organizations are complex and it can be difficult to achieve efficient patient-focused services. Laboratories make an integral part of the healthcare service industry where healthcare providers deal with critical patient results. Errors in these processes may cost a human life, create a negative impact on an organization's reputation, cause revenue loss, and open doors for expensive lawsuits. To overcome these complexities, healthcare organizations must implement an approach that helps healthcare service providers to reduce waste, variation, and work imbalance in the service processes. Lean and Six Sigma are used as continuous process improvement frameworks in laboratory medicine. Six Sigma uses an approach that involves problem-solving, continuous improvement and quantitative statistical process control. Six Sigma is a technique based on the DMAIC process (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) to improve quality performance. Application of DMAIC in a healthcare organization provides guidance on how to handle quality that is directed toward patient satisfaction in a healthcare service industry. The Lean process is a technique for process management in which waste reduction is the primary purpose; this is accomplished by implementing waste mitigation practices and methodologies for quality improvement. Overall, this article outlines the frameworks for continuous quality and process improvement in healthcare organizations, with a focus on the impacts of Lean and Six Sigma on the performance and quality service delivery system in clinical laboratories. It also examines the role of utilization management and challenges that impact the implementation of Lean and Six Sigma in clinical laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinita Thakur
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Health Sciences Center, Eastern Health Authority, St. John's, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Canada
| | - Olatunji Anthony Akerele
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Health Sciences Center, Eastern Health Authority, St. John's, Canada
| | - Edward Randell
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Health Sciences Center, Eastern Health Authority, St. John's, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Canada
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