Leveraging Six Sigma Lean Strategies on Your Next Transition Planning Project

As hospitals shift to value-based care with the goal of improving patient outcomes and reducing costs, healthcare providers are actively seeking ways to streamline operations by enhancing efficiency through process improvement initiatives and adopting lean management principles.

Lindsey Mitchell, an Associate Project Manager with HTS, a member of the HBS Family of Companies specializing in Transition Planning, recognized the value of having a Six Sigma Black Belt certification in working with her healthcare clients. The Lean and Six Sigma methodologies provide her with the necessary tools to support workflow and operational analysis as she guides her clients through the Transition Planning process of bringing a new project online.

We sat down with Lindsey to discuss her remarkable accomplishment and delve into how her Six Sigma Black Belt certification will support her work.

What is Six Sigma?

Six Sigma is a process improvement methodology that enhances the quality of operations by eliminating inefficiencies and improving processes to increase the repeatability and accuracy of process results.

Tell us a little about yourself.

For eight years, I have worked in many aspects of the healthcare industry from healthcare management to medical sales. I joined the HTS Transition Team as an Associate Project Manager in January of 2022. My project experience includes Transition Planning projects for the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU in Richmond, VA; the Lutheran Medical Center Replacement Hospital in Wheat Ridge, CO; the new Driscoll Children’s Hospital Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg, TX. One of my current assignments is the RWJBarnabas Health Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey in New Brunswick, NJ.

What made you decide to pursue the Six Sigma Blackbelt certification?

Six Sigma is compatible with every industry and elements of the process are demonstrated heavily in healthcare. Whether a client chooses to staunchly follow Six Sigma methodology or utilize aspects of it, it is present in every project. The course provided me with an understanding of the DMAIC process (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) which will help me to effectively establish and execute project timelines. The course took a deep dive into leadership improvement and communication enhancement that is critical to the success of each project.

How will this benefit your work as a Transition Planner?

The skills I have learned will help to keep our processes “lean”. Continuous efforts to achieve predictable and stable process results are crucial to business success. We understand time is valuable and want to be the most efficient with our clients time and resources.