Abstract

Drug sales at Ruby Hospital in Calcutta, India were lower than industry benchmarks despite increases in the number of patients at its ambulatory care clinics. Six Sigma had been successfully deployed elsewhere in the organization, so management decided to address the pharmacy problem in a Six Sigma define, measure, analyze, improve, and control (DMAIC) project that would improve both the bottom line and patient satisfaction. A team began the project with a quick, observation-based collection of patient data, followed by a voice-of-the-customer feedback survey. Using DMAIC and lean tools, the team created a solution package that improved cycle time efficiency and capability level, despite a 61 percent increase in patient flow. This case study shows how a problem that was identified at the business level was actually solved at the customer level, benefiting both patients and providers.