The define phase is the initial step in lean six sigma. Lean Sigma is an improvement process comprising the five phases. During the define phase, the project team create the project charter, which is a map of the processes involved (Lighter & Lighter, 2013). The define phase is a critical phase in the lean six sigma process because it outlines the focus of the project for an organization's leadership. The define phase starts by developing a problem statement that focuses on a problem affecting the customer. It involves identifying the measure that affects the client and determining its severity. During this phase, the project team identifies whether the problem is important and has the highest effect on the customer.
The next step in the define phase is to confirm the availability of resources. It is during this phase where the project team lead and the project sponsor are identified. The project sponsor is someone a leadership position who would like the problem fixed (Lighter, & Lighter, 2013). The next two steps are the creation of a goal statement and development of a process map.
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Lean Six Sigma can be applied to a healthcare setting to improve delivery of medical health records. Medical records are vital during the treatment process because physicians must consul them. Therefore, they must be availed to the right place at the right time. However, it is a major problem in many hospitals because records are not provided at the right time and place. During the define phase, the theory of constraints was utilized to identify the bottlenecks and blockages in the delivery of health records (Mba, 2013). The constraints identified include the lack of medical records for patients and the late addition of patients to the treatment schedule. The improvement process was a success because the problem that prevented the effective delivery of patient records was identified during the define phase.
Reference
Lighter, D. E., & Lighter, D. E. (2013). Basics of health care performance improvement: A lean Six Sigma approach . Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Mba, A. A. M. (2013). Six sigma healthcare. Place of publication not identified: Lulu Com.
