Hospitals today face increasing pressure to lower costs while improving patient outcomes and operational efficiency. The Lean Six Sigma for Hospitals course equips learners with proven process‑improvement methodologies tailored to healthcare environments. By applying Lean Six Sigma principles to patient flow, data management, and statistical analysis, learners gain practical tools to identify inefficiencies, reduce errors, and drive measurable improvements in quality of care and financial performance.
Module 1: Steps to a Faster & Safer Hospital
Introduces Lean Six Sigma principles in healthcare, focusing on improving patient safety, reducing errors, enhancing patient flow, and achieving operational excellence. Learners explore value‑stream mapping, door‑to‑balloon time improvements, and action planning within hospital settings.
Module 2: Reducing Defects & Waste
Examines how Lean Six Sigma reduces defects, waste, and costs in healthcare systems. Topics include process improvement, redesign strategies, profitability, and applying manufacturing and service‑based improvement models to hospital operations.
Module 3: Sustaining Improvement Through Data
Focuses on building reliable data collection and analysis systems to sustain improvement initiatives. Learners cover mistake‑proof data collection, organizing data in Excel, using PivotTables, creating process flowcharts, and developing control plans to maintain results.
Module 4: Tools for Implementing Lean Six Sigma
Covers advanced Lean Six Sigma tools for effective implementation, including prioritizing improvement efforts, SIPOC analysis, proportion testing, managing crises, and balancing competing goals among healthcare stakeholders.
Upon successful completion of this course, the learner will be able to:
Explain core Lean Six Sigma concepts as applied to hospital settings
Identify inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement in hospital operations
Apply Lean principles to improve patient flow and reduce delays
Use data and basic statistical tools to support decision‑making
Implement strategies to reduce costs while maintaining or improving quality of care
Support operational excellence initiatives in clinical and administrative environments
Certificate of completion
This class is an independent-study course. Students will have all the resources needed to successfully complete the course within the online material. A student helpdesk is available for technical support during the course enrollment.