Effective quality improvement: Six Sigma

Developed in industry in the 1980s, and applied in a limited way in health care from the 1990s, Six Sigma uses a range of statistical and other tools to reduce variations in processes. Although Six Sigma is a particularly challenging quality improvement approach to use in healthcare settings, some process improvements have been reported and there is growing interest in using a combination of lean thinking and Six Sigma approaches in the NHS.

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