Reducing pharmacy medication errors using Lean Six Sigma: A Thai hospital case study
Date
2021-03-02Author
Trakulsunti, Yaifa
Antony, Jiju
Edgeman, Rick
Cudney, Beth
Dempsey, Mary
Brennan, Attracta
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Recommended Citation
Trakulsunti, Yaifa, Antony, Jiju, Edgeman, Rick, Cudney, Beth, Dempsey, Mary, & Brennan, Atrracta. (2021). Reducing pharmacy medication errors using Lean Six Sigma: A Thai hospital case study. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, doi:10.1080/14783363.2021.1885292
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Abstract
Hospital medication errors are costly and contribute to patient mortality, morbidity, and
decreased health care quality. Errors result from poor systems design more commonly
than from healthcare staff performance. As such, a focus should be directed to process
design. This action research study examines the application of Lean Six Sigma to
reduce inpatient pharmacy dispensing errors in a Thai public hospital. Through the
successful application of multiple Lean Six Sigma tools, the implementation of Lean
Six Sigma reduced monthly dispensing errors from 29 incidents to 6 incidents over
14,000 total inpatient days between March 2018 and November 2019, and improved
patient safety. Lean Six Sigma tools used in this study were cause-and-effect
diagrams, spaghetti diagrams, five-why analysis, project charters, brainstorming,
control charts, and hypothesis testing. This case study can improve hospital manager
and medical director awareness of Lean Six Sigma and its benefits relative to the
prevention and reduction of medication errors.