Six Sigma teams define, measure, and analyze: barriers, opportunities identified.(use of Six Sigma in hospitals)

It's impossible to fully explain Marlton, NJ-based Virtua Health s emergency department (ED) cash collections project without discussing the multihospital health system's Six Sigma quality assurance program, officials there say.

Motivated by a recent Healthcare Advisory Board report touting the improved cash flow and customer service benefits of collecting revenue at the point of service, rather than through billing the patient later, the health system began the ED project in October 2003.

Using the methodologies of Six Sigma, the Virtua team worked to define, measure, analyze, improve, control (DMAIC) a new standard operating procedure (SOP) for ED cash collections, with the aim of increasing patient satisfaction and reducing costs.

Six Sigma teams are led by people who have attained the level of "black belt" or "green belt" or by Six Sigma …