Define Phase

Introduction

My name is Carmel Erett. I work as a Medical Scientist in a large hospital Pathology Department. I am currently undertaking a Six Sigma Project as part of a Six Sigma Green Belt Certificate at Sligo Institute of Technology. This blog will be divided in to five individual sections of DMAIC (Figure1 with the first blog dealing with the Define Phase.

Figure1- http://icpartnership.com/sixsigma.html

Background

This project is based in a Pathology Department of a large hospital. There is an ongoing drive to improve efficiencies within the department. The Pathology Department is divided into five individual departments (laboratories), Biochemistry, Blood Transfusion, Haematology, Histology and Microbiology, each analysing different patient tests.

Project Charter

A project charter has been developed which has been very helpful to our team in defining our problem statement and refining our scope which is critical when there are two separate departments involved.

Project Description

Currently the differential diagnosis of thyroid diseases as described in Figure 2 is segregated into two departments.  Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) and Free Triiodothyronine (fT3) and Free Thyroxine (f T4) are analysed in Biochemistry and antibodies against thyroglobulin ( Anti-Tg) and thyroid peroxidase (Anti- TPO) [Thyroid Microsomal Antibody] are tested in the Histology department using a completely manual, labour intensive method with potential for significant variation in the process, processing time and process output (Figure 3).Designing the Define Phase Top level Process Definition helped highlight to all involved how manual our current process is.

 In 2011 the Biochemistry department installed an automated new generation analyser not only with the capability to analyse the then extensive Biochemistry test workload but with the additional capacity to encompass additional tests from other departments within pathology if deemed cost effective.

Figure 2: Supplied by Roche Diagnostics Limited

To date we have established that these tests (Anti-TPO and Anti Tg) are available on the Biochemistry analyser.


Scope

To evaluate and examine the inefficiencies of the current manual testing method for these antibody tests against the efficiencies that can be gained using an automated system. In addition to this the requesting protocol of these tests will be examined. Current protocol in Histology is to perform an additional test Anti Nuclear Antibodies that may not be required as part of a Thyroid disease work up. Thyroid Antibodies are also performed as part of a general Autoimmune screen in Histology and this protocol will be examined.

Figure 3: Define Stage Top Level Process Definition.

Metrics

These metrics are a moderate estimate and our team would expect savings to be greater than the estimation below when the review of Histology Test Requesting procedure is thoroughly examined.

To date we are on schedule and we hope to have this project completed by the end of August 2013, our team are working well together and communication is good between all the departments which should ensure a smooth transition into the Measure phase of this project.